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Gloria Bulus: Addressing environmental, health crisis in Kapam community

Michael Simire
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Gloria Bulus: Addressing environmental, health crisis in Kapam community

The alarming reports emerging from the Kapam a community in Chikun LGA, Kaduna State, highlight a severe environmental and public health crisis that demands immediate attention. The Kaduna Refinery, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, has been releasing toxic chemicals that are not only killing local wildlife but also devastating crops and making community members, particularly children and women, gravely ill.

Uba Sani
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State

The distressing images of dead animals and dying crops seen on social media from the community serve as a heartbreaking testament to the impact of this environmental catastrophe. This situation threatens the livelihoods of local farmers, exacerbates food insecurity, and undermines the overall health of the community. The ripple effects extend beyond Kapam; they pose a significant risk to the broader Kaduna State, potentially endangering the health of surrounding communities and ecosystems.

This crisis raises serious questions about the commitment of the government to protect its citizens and the environment. Allowing such dangerous practices to continue will not only tarnish the government’s reputation but also ridicule its stated goals of sustainable development and public health protection.

In the light of these urgent concerns, we call on the government of Kaduna State under the leadership of Governor Uba Sani to take decisive and comprehensive action in response to the crisis in the Kapam community. This includes:

  1. Open Up a Thorough Investigation: The government should initiate a rigorous investigation into the toxic emissions from the Kaduna Refinery. This investigation must identify the specific chemicals involved, assess their impact on the environment and public health, and hold accountable those responsible for any violations of environmental regulations.
  2. Provide Immediate Support: In addition to investigating the root causes, the government should provide immediate support to cushion the impact on the community. This may include:
  3. Medical Assistance: Deploy health professionals to assess and treat residents affected by toxic exposure, ensuring access to necessary medical care.
  4. Food and Water Security: Implement programmes to provide safe food and clean water to affected residents, mitigating the immediate risks of food insecurity and health hazards.
  5. Economic Relief: Introduce financial assistance programmes for local farmers and businesses adversely affected by the environmental damage, helping them to recover and sustain their livelihoods.
  6. Enhance Environmental Regulations: Strengthen and enforce existing environmental protection laws to prevent future occurrences of similar crises. This includes regular monitoring of industrial emissions and compliance with safety standards.
  7. Engage with the Community: Establish transparent communication channels with the Kapam community to ensure their concerns are addressed and they are involved in decision-making processes regarding their health and environment.
  8. Long-term Health and Environmental Planning: Develop and implement long-term strategies for environmental restoration and public health improvement, ensuring the community’s resilience against future environmental threats.

The residents of Kapam and all citizens of Kaduna State deserve a safe and healthy environment. We urge all stakeholders to unite in addressing this crisis, prioritising the well-being of the community over corporate interests. Immediate action is essential to remedy this situation and prevent further harm to both the people and the environment.

Gloria Kasang Bulus is Executive Director, Bridge That Gap Initiative, and Convener/Coordinator, Network of Civil Society in Environment (NCSE)

Over 6,000 people benefit from NNPC, Shell eyecare outreach in Lagos community

Michael Simire
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Over 6,000 people benefit from NNPC, Shell eyecare outreach in Lagos community

No fewer than 6,575 people benefitted from an eyecare outreach held in Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Lagos State, from August 26 to 30, 2024, as part of the Vision First Plus programme of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company (SNEPCo).

Shell
A cross section of beneficiaries and some Shell staff at the NNPC/SNEPCo Vision First Plus programme in Bariga Local Council Development Area of Lagos State

Beneficiaries from within and outside the LCDA received a wide range of medical services including eye screening, surgeries, medication, and eyeglasses on the latest campaign to bring healthcare to the doorsteps of communities across Nigeria.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, SNEPCo Managing Director, Elohor Aiboni, said the outreach was a key investment in maintaining healthy vision which is an important but often neglected aspect of life.

Represented by Managing Counsel Upstream Nigeria, SNEPCo, Lara Taiwo-Ogunbodede, Aiboni commended the collaboration which resulted in the outreach, the third in Lagos since the Vision First Plus initiative was launched in the state two years ago.

She said: “Our sight, a crucial connection to our surroundings, safeguards us from danger, sharpens our minds, and unlocks the doors to learning, economic opportunities, and independence, hence we consider this intervention as crucial.”

In a speech read by Bunmi Lawson, the Chief Upstream Investment Officer of NNPC Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS), Bala Wunti, said: “From the smiles of individuals who can see clearly for the first time in years, to the stories of renewed hope and confidence, Vision First has truly become a beacon of light for many. This year, as we continue our journey, our mission remains unchanged: to ensure that no one is left in the dark due to preventable or correctable vision issues.”

Executive Director and Chairman, Kolmarg Eyesight Foundation, Professor Olukorede Adenuga, stressed the need for “regular eye examination as one gets older in order to prevent avoidable loss of vision.”

Chairman of Bariga LCDA, Alabi Kolade, described the vision outreach as a timely intervention at a time that vision impairment is found to affect the quality of life of adult populations, lower people’s the rates of employment and increase their rates of depression and anxiety. “Sight is life, and it’s for this reason that we cannot thank NNPC-SNEPCo and the partners enough for this opportunity, indeed on our doorstep.”

Giving a breakdown of the programme performance, Aiboni said that out of 1787 people screened for various eye conditions, 1,696 received prescription glasses and medication while 233 had successful cataract and pterygium procedures. Another 1212 people were treated for ailments.

Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Olusegun Ogboye, who was represented by Adeniran Ifeyemi, a deputy director in the Ministry of Health, commended NNPC, SNEPCo, and their co-venture partners for the initiative.

The focus on eyecare comes against the background of a report in the National Eye Health Policy 2019 to the effect that blindness in three out of four people in Nigeria is preventable. The Vision First Plus programme aims to combat avoidable visual impairment by reaching patients early for diagnosis and treatment.

Over the years, the social investment programmes of NNPC, SNEPCo and co-venture partners have improved lives in internally displaced camps in Northeast Nigeria and rebuilt infrastructure in hospitals and educational institutions.  In addition, the initiative has led to award of scholarships and donation of cancer treatment equipment.

GCF approves $151m for AfDB’s climate resilience programme in Africa

Michael Simire
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GCF approves $151m for AfDB’s climate resilience programme in Africa

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved $151 million in financing for a major resilience programme supported by the African Development Bank (AfDB).

Akinwumi A. Adesina
AfDB President, Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina

The aim is to address climate vulnerability in the Horn of Africa.

The AfDB’s Director for Agriculture and Agro-Industry, Dr Martin Fregene, said this in a statement posted on the bank’s website.

Fregene said the approval, granted at the Fund’s 39th Board meeting, comprised a $90.7 million grant and a $60.3 million loan.

“The financing will support the Bank Group’s Building Climate Resilience for Food and Livelihoods in the Horn of Africa programme.

“Benefitting 4.6 million people across Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Ethiopia and South Sudan.

“The Horn of Africa is most susceptible to climate-related risks, such as erratic rainfall, rising temperatures, and increasingly frequent droughts and floods,” he said.

According to Fregene, these conditions have exacerbated socioe-@conomic challenges and threatened the livelihoods of agro-pastoral communities reliant on rain-fed agriculture.

He expressed concern that climate change had led to increased livestock, crop and human diseases, and land degradation, reducing productivity.

Fregene restated the Bank’s commitment to building climate resilience.

“The mobilisation of the Green Climate Fund support shows the continued commitment of the AfDB Group to scale up climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture systems in the Horn of Africa.

“Thereby, improving food security in one of the most vulnerable regions of the planet.

“These resources will further help consolidate the Feed Africa Strategy and complement the Country Food and Agriculture Delivery Compacts presented at the Dakar 2 Feed Africa: Food Sovereignty and Resilience Summit.

“This will support the reduction of poverty and food insecurity while contributing to accelerated sustainable economic growth in the region,” Fregene said.

According to the director, the new financing will support community-driven and gender-balanced resilience solutions.

Dr Anthony Nyong, the Bank’s Director for Climate Change and Green Growth, said the Bank had a long-standing commitment to action on climate change.

Nyong said: “The bank is also committed to ensuring that we streamline low-carbon and climate-resilient economic development in all key sectors of our work.”

He said that the new resources would bolster the Bank’s efforts to mitigate climate change impacts and build resilience, particularly in agrarian communities.

The Green Climate Fund financing will contribute to significant carbon emission reduction.

It will potentially sequester 14.1 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over the project’s 25-year lifetime – equivalent to lifetime emissions of 600,000 cars.

The AfDB will administer the new financing and monitor the programme, which will begin in the first quarter of 2025.

The five target countries, through their respective ministries responsible for finance and agriculture, will implement it over six years with the project interventions expected to benefit targeted communities for 25 years

YASIF: Empowering grassroots women to turn plastic waste into wealth

Michael Simire
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YASIF: Empowering grassroots women to turn plastic waste into wealth

The Young Advocates for a Sustainable and Inclusive Future (YASIF) have trained over 2,000 women in six communities in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, on how to transform plastic waste into shoes, bags, and other household products.

YASIF
Participants at the closing ceremony of the Waste Free Community Project grassroots capacity building programme in Abuja

This effort, according to the non-profit organisation, was designed to promote environmental sustainability by significantly reducing plastic garbage in the targeted areas, namely Karonmajiji, Durunmi, Galadimawa, Jahi, Abaji, and Paiko.

Following the successful conclusion of this life-changing programme, the beneficiaries, the majority of whom are young people, are expected to apply their newly learnt skills to contribute to the country’s socioeconomic growth through innovative waste management and upcycling techniques. They will also act as ambassadors in their local communities, advocating behavioural change and encouraging community involvement in environmental stewardship.

Speaking at the capacity building programme’s closing ceremony in Abuja on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, Blessing Ewa, the founder of YASIF, hinted that the initiative, titled Waste Free Community Project, began in 2022 by sensitising local communities about sustainable plastic management.

So, after successfully teaching people about the value of plastic waste, Ewah – who expressed her happiness over the accomplishments the programme has recorded since its inception – said that they then decided to train and empower them in upcycling to help women and youths use plastics to make finished products that they can sell and make money.

“It is our way of engaging them to help promote the economy,” she said, pointing to the closing ceremony, which allowed the beneficiaries from the various communities to showcase everything they had accomplished during their training.

In line with YASIF’s objective of changing the public’s perception of plastics as waste, the environmental rights advocate expounded that this belief informed her group’s first call to action of letting people know that these things have value, which is what “we have been doing over the years.”

When asked about how she and her team intend to spread the initiative beyond Abuja, Ewa summarised that the project’s overall goal is to help grassroots communities develop a climate-conscious mindset.

“Our aim is to ensure that we visit as many grassroots communities as possible across Nigeria, helping them to know the value in plastics and empowering them to take up initiatives that promote the circular economy,” she stated.

The project, according to Mrs. Falmata Bukar-kolo, a deputy director in the Federal Ministry of Environment’s Solid Waste Management department, is in line with the government’s intervention programme, which was designed to empower women and youth through waste entrepreneurship. She added that it also addresses the issues preventing proper waste management through value addition and foster private sector involvement in the waste management value chain.

Waste management, Bukar-kolo went on to explain, has been a major problem in the country ever since the post-independence era. According to her, the volume and complexity of refuse generation have continuously increased over this time.

This, she elaborated, is because the increase in socio-economic development, industrialisation, and technological advancements, which resulted in urban drift and pollution explosion, was never accompanied by adequate plans and infrastructural facilities to effectively accommodate the sudden changes.

In light of this, the ministry’s representative bemoaned the fact that these enormous modifications were nevertheless responsible for the creation, buildup, and obstruction of debris, which has now overtaken the nation’s drainage systems and occupied a larger portion of the cities’ streets.

“We are calling for a massive campaign of civic action,” she said, to promote the principles and practices of circular economy.

HRH Yunusa Abdullahi, District Head of Karonmajiji, one of the communities that benefitted from the programme, thanked YASIF for its thoughtfulness in helping to empower his people. According to him, this action will go a long way towards reducing social vices, especially among the youths in the area.

Therefore, he called on the government at all levels to support YASIF in what it’s doing to expand its work beyond the capital city to other parts of the country.

By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja

Images: Environmental Defenders Network unveils Lagos office

Michael Simire
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Images: Environmental Defenders Network unveils Lagos office

The Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN), a non-profit organisation, informally interacted with a gathering of civil society players and media practitioners on Monday, September 2, 2024, as it opened its offices in Ikeja, Lagos.

Chima Williams, Executive Director of EDEN, and Philip Jakpor, Board member of EDEN, welcomed guests and shared information concerning the new organisation’s focus and strategies.

EDEN
L- R: Philip Jakpor, Board member of Environmental Defenders Network (EDEN); Abayomi Francis, Executive Director of Peace and Development Project (PEDEP); Chima Williams, Executive Director of EDEN; Vicky Urenma, Executive Director of Child Health Organisation; and Abiodun Bakare, Secretary, Lagos Chapter of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Civil Service Technical and Recreation Services Employees (AUPCTRE), at the opening of EDEN Lagos office
EDEN
A cross section of guests at the opening of EDEN office in Lagos

NEMA calls for comprehensive action plan on disaster risks

Michael Simire
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NEMA calls for comprehensive action plan on disaster risks

The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar, has emphasised the urgent need for a comprehensive action plan to address disaster risks in Nigeria.

NEMA
Participants at the Expert Workshop on Early Warning For All, National Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Strategic and Action Plan 2023-2030 in Abuja

She said this during the Expert Workshop on Early Warning For All, National Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Strategic and Action Plan 2023-2030 in Abuja, on Monday, September 2, 2024.

The workshop, according to her, coincided with the ongoing flood season in Nigeria and would provide an opportunity to review the level of preparedness, response, mitigation and long-term recovery strategies.

She added that the initiative stemmed from an assessment by the Overseas Development Institute for the UNDP, which highlighted the necessity of improving DRR strategies in light of escalating disasters such as conflicts and floods.

Umar noted that the Sahel region, where Nigeria is located, faced severe vulnerabilities due to poverty, environmental degradation, and climate change.

“The workshop aims to align Nigeria’s plans with the Sendai Framework and the African Programme of Action to enhance disaster resilience.

“A review of NEMA’s existing plans has indicated an urgent need for a more comprehensive action plan for disaster risk management in Nigeria, considering new and emerging hazards.

“This is to align with the Sendai Framework and African Programme of Action (PoA) to increase disaster resilience and drive sustainable development.

“The current escalations of conflicts, banditry, annual floods, and extreme weather events have triggered the desire to develop this DRR Strategy and Action Plan for Nigeria,” she said.

She further explained that the workshop was part of the Sahel Resilience Project titled “Strengthening Capacities for Disaster Risk Reduction and Adaptation for Resilience in the Sahel Region”.

The project, according to her, aimed to foster risk-informed solutions for sustainable development in the Sahel countries, led by UNDP, African Union Commission, ECOWAS, UN Women, Lake Chad Basin Commission, AGHRYMET, and other regional actors.

She expressed gratitude to international partners, particularly Sweden, for their support in this crucial project.

Umar urged participants to focus on practical disaster prevention strategies and to collaborate effectively over the three-day workshop to develop a robust action plan that extended beyond 2030, ensuring sustainable disaster risk management in Nigeria.

“I have no doubt that the objectives of the workshop will be fully achieved with your valuable professional inputs,” she said.

Mr Abdulrahman Mohammed, acting Director, FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), identified stakeholders’ failure to use available data as a major problem confronting early warning on disaster in Nigeria.

Mohammed stressed the need to enforce the use of data made available by NEMA and agencies.

“We need to enforce making sure that we use data, because if we use data, the problem of disaster risk is almost solved,” he said.

By Philomina Attah and Emmanuel Oloniruha

PAVE participates in UNEP Regional Consultative Meeting in advance of AMCEN

Michael Simire
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PAVE participates in UNEP Regional Consultative Meeting in advance of AMCEN

The Tenth Special Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) is holding from September 1 to 6, 2024 in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire, with a focus on land degradation, desertification, and drought, under the theme, “Raising Ambition for Accelerating Action on Drought Resilience, and Combating land degradation and desertification.”

Anthony Akpan
Anthony Akpan, President, Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE) (middle)

Anthony Akpan, President, Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE), a UN Environment Programme (UNEP) accredited NGO, is participating and made a presentation on “Plastic Pollution” in the Regional Consultative Meeting of the UNEP Major Groups and Stakeholders, Africa, ahead of the Tenth Special Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN).

To establish common ground, generate support within the continent and to elevate the momentum around the most pressing, prevailing issues, the outcomes of the Session will also be presented at various global fora including the upcoming Sixteenth Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD COP16) to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from December 2 to13, 2024; the Summit for the Future to be held in New York from September 22 to 23, 2024; the Sixteenth Session of the COP of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (UNCBD COP16) in Colombia from October 21 to November 1, 2024 in Cali, Colombia; the Fifth Session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5) from November 25 to December 1. 2024. in Busan, Republic of Korea; and at the Twenty-Ninth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP29) to be held in Baku, Azerbaijan from November 11 to 22, 2024.

In keeping with established tradition and to institute adequate, organised space for African nonstate actors on the environment to present and represent the voices of their communities while contributing to the African environmental agenda, the Major Groups and Stakeholders of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Africa (UNEP MGS, Africa), held their Regional Consultative Meeting (RCM) from September 1 to 2, 2024 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, and engage meaningfully to contribute actively to the 10th Special Session of AMCEN.

The 2024 RCM, Africa was held in a hybrid format with some participants attending in person and others attending virtually. The RCM will prepare inputs to be delivered to the African ministers of the environment at the Tenth Special Session. The RCM input will also be published on the UNEP website.

Stakeholders urge unified action to secure scaled-up climate finance for Africa

Michael Simire
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Stakeholders urge unified action to secure scaled-up climate finance for Africa

Stakeholders have called for a unified action to secure scaled-up climate finance for Africa.

CCDA-XII
A plenary session at the CCDA-XII in Abidjan

The stakeholders spoke at the 12th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-XII) in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

The conference served as a crucial platform for African leaders, policymakers, and experts to address the urgent climate challenges ahead of the upcoming COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The theme of the conference is, “Financing Climate Adaptation and Resilience in Africa”.

Côte d’Ivoire’s Minister of Environment, Jacques Konan, said that the theme resonates deeply as Africa continues to grapple with the disproportionate impact of climate change.

Konan said that this was despite it contributing less than four per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.

“Combating climate change is the greatest challenge humanity has faced in the last century.

“There is need for adequate financing to support Africa’s adaptation efforts, which is critical to mitigating the continent’s vulnerability to climate-related impacts,” Konan said.

Hanan Morsy, Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), highlighted the ongoing shortfall in global climate finance.

“Despite the 2009 pledge of 100 billion dollars annually, only a fraction of the estimated 1.3 trillion dollars needed to support global climate resilience has been mobilised,” she said.

Morsy called for innovative financing mechanisms to avoid exacerbating Africa’s debt burden, suggesting that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could be leveraged to channel investments into the efforts.

Josefa Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment at the African Union Commission, emphasised the immense financial requirements for Africa’s climate commitments.

According to Sacko, African countries will need approximately $3 trillion to fully implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) by 2030.

She urged the continent to unite and speak with one voice at COP29, stressing the importance of securing grants over loans or debt, to finance impactful climate projects.

The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Director of Climate Change and Green Growth, Anthony Nyong, stressed the need for recognition and compensation for Africa’s contributions to global mitigation efforts.

“Our priority must be fostering climate-resilient development while balancing adaptation with climate-informed investments.

“Achieving this goal hinges on securing adequate financing, technology transfer, and capacity building,” Nyong said.

The CCDA-XII aims to catalyse bold actions and commitments that will address Africa’s immediate climate challenges.

It is also meant to secure a prosperous and sustainable future for generations to come.

The conference, convened by a coalition of partnerships known as ClimDev-Africa, including the African Union Commission, the ECA, and the AfDB, is being hosted by the Government of Côte d’Ivoire.

By Muhyideen Jimoh

N-HYPPADEC calls for state of emergency on flood-ravaged states

Michael Simire
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N-HYPPADEC calls for state of emergency on flood-ravaged states

The National Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (N-HYPPADEC) has called on the Federal Government to declare state of emergency on flood-ravaged states to reduce its impact.

Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Yelwa
Alh. Abubakar Yelwa, Managing Director of HYPPADEC

Alh. Abubakar Yelwa, Managing Director of HYPPADEC, made the call during a press conference on Monday, September 2, 2024, in Minna, Niger State.

He said that 80 per cent of the states worst hits by flood were members of the commission.

The managing director explained that declaration of state of emergency would reposition relevant agencies to be on alert for prompt response.

He maintained that the declaration of emergency had become imperative in view of the effects of flooding already witnessed on critical infrastructure and people’s means of livelihoods in 2024, and the prediction of more flooding to come.

“It is necessary for a declaration of state of emergency on worst hit states, this will reposition relevant stakeholders to remain alert for prompt response,” he said.

Yelwa disclosed that, so far, 634 communities had been affected with more than 30,000 farmlands washed away by flood in Benue, while 6,959 households with 10,000 farmlands were affected with one life lost in Kebbi.

He said that six lives were lost to flooding in Magama and Mashegu Local Government Areas of Niger State.

He also said that the Dadin-Kowa Dam in Gombe was at the verge of collapse thereby posing a serious threat to lives and property.

“There are also similar flood threats in states such as Taraba, Nasarawa, Kogi and Kaduna,” he said.

He said that the situation posed a very serious threat to the ongoing efforts of President Bola Tinubu and states government efforts to ensuring food security and wealth creation in the country.

The managing director also said that three major bridges were washed away on Mayo-Kam Federal highway and Jalingo-Wukari Road in Taraba, as well as Manyara-Sabon-Pegi- Kwatachi in New Bussa, Niger State.

Yelwa added that other critical infrastructures such as culverts and flood drains, schools and health centres have equally been affected across the commission’s areas of operation.

He said the commission had executed flood erosion control projects in its member states such as Kogi, Benue, Kebbi, Kwara and Niger to reduce impact of flooding.

He further disclosed that about 500 flood victim’s resettlement housing schemes were under construction in Niger, Kogi, Kwara and Kebbi states.

Yelwa, however, urged people living along the floodplains to be more vigilant and abide by instructions from relevant authorities to avoid further complications.

By Rita Iliya

China, Africa sign MoUs on climate change

Michael Simire
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0
China, Africa sign MoUs on climate change

The Chinese government announced on Monday, September 2, 2024. that it has signed 19 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) on South-South cooperation on climate change with 17 African countries.

China
Chinese officials at the news conference on Monday in Beijing. Photo credit: NAN

This was disclosed by government officials during a joint news conference for the 2024 summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) from Sept. 4 to Sept. 6, 2024, in Beijing, China.

The officials include Ms Xu Jianping, Director-General, Department of Regional Opening-up of National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), and Mr Wang Heming, Director-General, Bureau of Sub-Saharan African Affairs of International Department, Central Committee of CPC (IDCPC).

They stated that climate change was a common challenge facing mankind, requiring joint efforts from all countries.

The officials highlighted China’s active response to climate change and its constructive promotion of the multilateral process.

“The declaration on China-Africa Cooperation on Climate Change defines the establishment of a strategic cooperative partnership on climate change and launches a special action plan.

“China has signed MoUs with 17 African countries in the construction of low-carbon demonstration zones and has provided various forms of assistance, including satellite systems, solar photovoltaic power stations, and energy-saving lamps, to support climate change mitigation and adaptation projects.

“In terms of capacity building, over 400 officials, experts, and technicians from African countries have participated in capacity-building workshops on South-South cooperation on climate change.

“China has also proposed the African Light Belt project to develop and implement cooperation in clean energy development.”

The officials reiterated China’s willingness to strengthen cooperation with African countries in tackling climate change, enhance their capacity to address climate change, and contribute to building a win-win global climate governance system.

By Fortune Abang

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