- Honourable Dr. Khaled Fahmy, Minister, Ministry of Environmental Affairs, Arab Republic of Egypt and President of African Ministerial Conference of Environment (AMCEN)
- Your Excellences, Members of the Bureau and Honourable Ministers of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN)
- Your Excellency Dr. Achim Steiner, Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
- Prof. Anthony Nyong, representative of the President of the African Development Bank
- Eminent Experts of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN)
- Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen

1. It is a pleasure for me to welcome you all to the meeting of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) taking place here in Le Bourget, Paris, France in preparation for the High level segment of the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

2. Let me from the start convey the warm greetings of H.E Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini–Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, who attended the Leaders’ Event but had to leave due to exigency duty.
3. I wish to also register our appreciations to the Government and the people of France for hosting this AMCEN meeting and COP 21 and for the reception accorded to us since arrival.

4. Honourable Ministers, as we are all aware, Climate Change has great impacts on development in Africa because the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on most countries are dependent on climate sensitive sectors such as agriculture, livestock and fisheries, tourism, and energy. The continent contributes the least greenhouse gases (GHGs) but suffers most on the adverse impacts of climate change because of its vulnerability and limited adaptation capacity.
5. Consequently, it is the continent that has the greatest interest and has first instituted a firm negotiating structure at the three tiers in the climate governance framework that is functional and capable of controlling emissions while at the same time addressing the challenges of its adverse impacts on our continent.

6. According to the 2014 Report of the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), by 2020:-
(i) Between 75 and 250 million people in Africa are projected to be exposed to increased water stress due to Climate Change and variability are likely to impose additional pressures on water availability, water accessibility and water demand in Africa.
(ii) In some countries, yields from rain-fed agriculture could be reduced by up to 50%. Agricultural production, including access to food, in many African countries is projected to be severely compromised. This would further adversely affect food security and exacerbate malnutrition
(iii) Human health, already compromised by a range of factors, could be further negatively impacted by climate change and climate variability, e.g., malaria in southern Africa and the East African highlands.
7. Honourable Ministers, I am happy to inform you that in response to the impending gloomy scenario, the June 2015 African Union Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa and the meeting of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) held on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA-70) endorsed for AMCEN to develop two initiatives on the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) and the Initiative on Adaptation; and Loss and Damage on Africa’s Climate Action at COP 21 and in New York also adopted the Key Message to serve as the basis for Climate Change Talks at UNGA and negotiations at COP 21. I look forward to hearing the progress on these initiatives along with Key messages at this meeting.

8. Honourable Ministers, I would not want to take much of your time as I recognize the time constraint for your deliberation on the status of negotiation and also strategize for effective engagement here in Paris. However, I am happy to inform you that H.E. President Hollande, our Host along with the African Union Commission organized the global summit on the Great Green Wall on Sahara and Sahel Initiative; Lake Chad Basin and the River Niger on 1 December 2015. The milestone achievement is that over 2 billion US Dollars were pledge by the France, the African Development Bank and Partners. Subsequently high level ministerial meetings were also held to strategize and follow up implementation of these three initiatives. These meetings showed the high political commitment to support Africa in our quest to address the adverse impacts of Climate Change.

9. I have no doubt that all these initiative along with other initiatives that the AU Assembly adopted in January 2007 on the Climate for Development in Africa (ClimDev-Africa) Programme and in 2014 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea on the High Level Work Programme on Climate Change Action in Africa (WPCCAA) to buttress the African Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) and the Initiative on Adaptation; Loss and Damage would serve the basis for Climate Actions in Africa.

10. Honourable Ministers, at this juncture, allow me to commend the work of our Negotiators who have been working tirelessly to champion Africa’s interest and the CAHOSCC adopted Key Messages and setting a pace in the global negotiations. We say a big thank you all.

11. Honourable Ministers, I would like to conclude by mentioning that our much expected delivery of Twentieth-First Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 21/CMP 11) is a new Climate Change Agreement that is fair, balanced and takes on board the interests and adaptation of the most vulnerable African citizens especially women and youth.

12. I wish to urge you all in the spirit of our African Agenda 2063 to continue in solidarity to speak with one voice in the wisdom of our African leaders; to be very strategic in our approach; to fraternize and have alliances with regions of likeminded issues to ensure that Paris delivers the dividends to save planet earth and mother Africa from the verge of extinction so that global warming is reduced; our African citizens are supported with appropriate and affordable technology that facilitates development in our continent along with adequate and predictable climate finance. On this note, I would like to urge you with the support of the African Development Bank and the NEPAD Agency Climate Fund to keep track all the pledges to ensure that all these pledges are channeled appropriately for effective implementation at the grassroots.

I wish you good courage and thank you for your attention.
Merci beaucoupe!!!