cop19
Activities
President Kikwete at COP 19: The situation is tough and challenging
Warsaw, Poland- 21 November 2013 – “It is not easy, it is tough and challenging, but we are tough enough to be able to succeed, said President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, the president of the United Republic of Tanzania, in his address to the African Group of Ministers and Negotiators at the ongoing Global Climate Change Negotiation (COP19) meeting, held on Thursday, 21 November 2013, in Warsaw, Poland.
Speaking, in his capacity as the Coordinator of the Committee of African Heads of State and Governments on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), President Kikwete, stressed that the situation is so bad in terms of climate change, calling the national and international communities for urgent actions. He expressed his satisfaction regarding the African position. We speak with one voice; we should remain with one voice, said president Kikwete.
The current coordinator thanked AMCEN and the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) for the front line role in the negotiation and encouraged them to maintain unity of purpose and continue to speak with one voice around the African common position. President Kikwete also said that this approach would enable Africa to overcome difficulties in the negotiation towards the future we want.
He had an interactive discussion during the meeting with the African ministers who commended his able leadership and reaffirmed their commitment to championing Africa’s interest at COP19.
Speaking at the meeting, Commissioner Rhoda Peace Tumusiime, AU Commissioner for Rural Development and Agriculture reiterated the full commitment of the African Union Commission, which remains at the service of the AU Member States. It is gratifying that the African leadership has placed issues of the climate change high on the political agenda, said Commissioner Rhoda. The AU Member States are taking country level action to deal with climate change issues while remaining engaged in global climate change negotiations, she added.
During the meeting Dr. Terezya L. Huvisa, Tanzanian Minister of State for Environment, and current President of African Ministerial Conference on the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) has handover Africa’s Adaptation Gap Technical Report to President Kikwete. The report is a stark analysis of where Africa Stands in relation to its adaptation goals and is a cautionary indicator of what may happen should the emission gap remain necessitating additional adaptation.
For media inquiries and furthur information:
Mr. Molalet Tsedeke
Directorate of Information and Communication
AU Commission
molalett@africa-union.org; molalet24t@yahoo.com
Tel: 51 7665 081
Senegal offers to host the next African COP in 2016
Warsaw, Poland- 20 November 2013- The Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Senegal, H.E. Mr. Mor Ngom (in the middle), today 20 November 2013, addressed African Group of Negotiators (AGN) to ensure effective participation of the COPs at different levels. In addition, the minister informed the AGN Group that Senegal has offered to host the next African COP in 2016, which is the 22nd Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 12th Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (COP22/CMP12).
Worth noting, that Sudan has been elected as the In-coming Chair of the African Group of Negotiators at the UNFCCC COP and to commence his 2-year tenure from 1st January 2014 till 31st December 2016. Since 2012 Mr. Emmanuel Dlamini of Swaziland was leading the negotiations at the UNFCCC COP18 in Doha and COP19 in Warsaw, on behalf of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN).
Further information and media inquiries:
Mr. Molalet Tsedeke
Directorate of Information and Communication
AU Commission
molalett@africa-union.org; molalet24t@yahoo.com
Tel: +48 51 7665 081
AFRICA DAY: Ministers of AU Member States and stakeholders hold panel discussion at COP19
Warsaw, Poland 19 November 2013- “solutions to address African agriculture in the face of adverse impacts of climate change cannot be effective unless they are supported by appropriate means of implementation such as finance and technology transfer and development”, this was stressed by H.E Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) during the Africa Day panel discussion at COP19 on 19 November 2013, in Warsaw, Poland.
In her statement, delivered by Commissioner Rhoda Peace Tumusiime of the AUC Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture, Dr. Dlamini Zuma said Africa considers that adequate finance and technology are essential for the development of the African Agricultural Agenda. “We continue to call for all polluters to commit to ambitious green house gas emission reductions which otherwise would continue to undermine our development trajectory”, the Chairperson said.
Under the theme Climate Change and Agriculture in Development and Ending Hunger in Africa, Ministers and participants exchanged views and shared experience on issues of agriculture in the global climate change negotiations, mainstreaming climate change adaptation into the African development agenda, innovative research and technologies for adaptation to climate change in African agriculture, and options for financing climate change adaptation in African agriculture.
Dr. Dlamini Zuma highlighted that the celebration of the Africa Day at COP 19 is further unique because of the celebration of 50 years anniversary since the founding of the Organization of the African Unity (OAU), and 10 years since the birth of the African Union (AU) under the theme “Pan Africanism and the African Renaissance. She further noted that Pan Africanism represents the movement to unite Africa and the people of African Descent the world over, working together in solidarity, to fight against injustice including climate justice.
“The two dimensions of the theme are centrally connected to the ideas that Africa is speaking with a unified strong voice in the global climate change negotiations under the able leadership and guidance of a unified structure of the Committee of the African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) and the African Ministerial Conference of Environment (AMCEN) serviced by the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN)”, she said. (The full statement of the Chairperson is available on www.au.int).
On the margin of the UNFCCC COP19, the Africa Day panel discussion was jointly organized by the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Africa Development Bank (AfDB). The event brought together African Ministers, delegates, experts, civil society organizations, RECs representatives, development partners, and media representatives among others.
Further information and media inquiries:
Mr. Molalet Tsedeke
Directorate of Information and Communication
AU Commission
molalett@africa-union.org; molalet24t@yahoo.com
Tel: +48 51 7665 081
MEDIA ADVISORY
AFRICA DAY: High-level meeting at UNFCCC COP19
INVITATION TO THE MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES
What: High level meeting of the Africa Day in the margins of the 19th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 9th Session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CoP19/CMP9).
Theme: “Climate Change and Agriculture in Development and Ending Hunger in Africa”
When: Tuesday, 19 November 2013 at 11:30 – 13:00
Where: Warsaw, Poland (National Stadium, Wroclaw room).
Who: Jointly organized by the African Union Commission (AUC); the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA); and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Objective: The objective of the Africa Day high-level segment will be:
• Showcasing and bringing to life issues of climate change in Africa;
• Providing a platform for interaction by policy makers, scientists and practitioners;
• Expert discourse and open debates that set the context for Africa-relevant climate change issues and themes in the larger framework of sustainable development in Africa;
• Knowledge-sharing among stakeholders working in and/or for Africa;
Participants: Africa’s political leaderships, Ministers of AU Member States, AU Commission, NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency (NPCA), development partners, experts, UNFCC focal persons, media representatives and other stakeholders.
Background:
The 19th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 9th session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CoP19/CMP9) is taking place at the National Stadium, in Warsaw, Poland, from 11 to 22 November. "COP19/CMP9 affords an opportunity to consolidate responses to climate change and to showcase the many ambitious adaptation and mitigation initiatives being implemented around the world. By scaling and speeding up action we prepare for a universal global agreement and move toward a safer future.”
Mandated by the African Union Assembly (Assembly/Dec.342(XVI)) on COP16/CMP6, and with the leadership of the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Government of South Africa, a very successful ‘African Pavilion’ event was organised during COP17/CMP7. The African Pavilion offered an opportunity for a wide range of actors to showcase some important initiatives on climate change and development in Africa. This marked a significant shift from Africa’s low-key participation at previous COPs.
Beginning COP15/CMP5, Africa’s focus shifted to supporting the African Group of Negotiators (AGN). Representatives from Africa also participated in side events and organised various meetings with partners for fundraising and joint research programme activities.
Journalists are invited to attend and cover the event on 19 November 2013 from 11:30 to 13:00, in Wroclaw room, Warsaw National Stadium, Warsaw, Poland.
The provisional programme is attached:
Further information
Media inquiries should be addressed to Mr. Molalet Tsedeke, Directorate of Communication and Information, AU Commission; molalett@africa-union.org ; molalet24t@yahoo.com Tel: +48 51 7665081; www.au.int.