The United Arab Emirates and the Republic of Kenya on Tuesday stressed the importance of strengthening close cooperation during the “African Climate Summit” and the “COP28 Conference of Parties which constitute an opportunity for the international community to agree on a way forward based on practical solutions.
William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, and Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technologies of the United Arab Emirates, President-designate of the COP28 conference, said in a joint statement in collaboration with the Forum energy company that climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today.
According to the two statesmen, this requires continuing to work in order to achieve the highest aspirations in the outcomes and products of the African Climate Summit in Nairobi and the Conference of Parties at COP28.
The statement said that “Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today, and the African Climate Summit and COP28 will be among the key stations this year, which will see the conduct of the global stocktaking to assess progress in achieving the goals of the Paris Agreement, an opportunity for the international community to come together and agree on a future path focused on practical solutions.
The two parties affirmed their determination to strengthen close cooperation to ensure the success of the “COP28 Conference of Parties” and the “African Climate Summit” in achieving tangible results for the climate and for the peoples of Africa. and of the world.
President William Ruto commended the UAE, its leadership and the COP28 Conference Presidency for its strong support for sustainable development and climate action.
He also affirmed his support for the leadership team of the COP28 Conference of Parties and welcomed the appointment of His Excellency Dr Transition in the energy sector and in support of efforts to increase the capacity of production of renewable energies in the world, and the two parties affirm their willingness to cooperate to achieve the highest possible ambition through all the pillars of climate action during COP28.
Dr Sultan Ahmed Al-Jaber stressed the importance of the “Africa Climate Summit” as a hub for Africa and the world ahead of COP28, to accelerate the achievement of a transition logical, practical, progressive and equitable in the energy sector, and to provide solutions from the African continent at COP28 next November, and he commended the efforts of Kenya and President Ruto in driving climate action .
The two parties announced COP28 and Kenya’s agreement to unite and combine their efforts towards tripling the world’s renewable energy generation capacity by 2030, realizing that this collective goal requires effort. to accelerate the achievement of a just transition in the energy sector that leaves no one behind.
We call on all parties, in all regions, to join in these efforts and to cooperate in mobilizing global efforts for action and achievement.
Both sides stressed that Africa is in a position to play a leading role in this transition and realize enormous benefits for the region and the world, as it comprises one of the largest natural carbon reservoirs in the planet.
The two parties also noted that Africa benefits from significant untapped potential in an optimal environment for the production of hydroelectric energy along the Congo and Nile rivers, and geothermal energy along the Grand Valley. Rift, the “African Rift”, in addition to the possibility of benefiting from solar energy across the continent.
They said that Africa is also home to the current and next generation of climate action leaders, entrepreneurs and civil society, who will help find solutions that can bring about a paradigm shift in action. climate change, harnessing clean energy to drive economic growth and improve the quality of life and livelihoods on a continent where almost half the population still lacks access to electricity.
The two sides said that taking full advantage of this potential requires a radical change of course, as clean energy investments in Africa represent only 2% of the global total, and this is below the minimum required, which represents 10% of the total. 120 billion dollars that must be invested annually.
There needs to be a fundamental shift in the way public capital, concessional loans and aid are used to attract and incentivize the private investment needed for climate action in Africa.
Each other, and we must all do our part, together, to ensure that climate action can support and benefit all segments of society, including women, youth, children and Indigenous peoples.
The two parties said they have today launched a joint task force between the Africa Climate Summit and the COP28 Conference of Parties, to focus on achieving a rational, practical, gradual and just transition process. in the energy sector and strengthening climate finance to accelerate green growth in Africa in the run-up to the two aforementioned conferences.
Besides the constructive cooperation between Kenya and the COP28 Presidency in the preparation of an action plan for the COP28 conference for the transition in the energy sector, the two parties look forward to working together and cooperating in the organization of the first day dedicated to health at the level of the Conferences of the Parties, as well as the ministerial meeting for health and climate within the conference, in line with the direction of Kenya’s leadership in this field.
President Ruto commended the COP28 Presidency for its comprehensive approach which aims to combine the fight against biodiversity loss and climate change, the improvement of food systems, the fight against the growing climate burden on human health, and reducing and addressing severe and destabilizing climate impacts, particularly in communities most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
President William Ruto and Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber will continue intensive coordination at political level in the coming months, in order to achieve the highest aspirations in the outcomes of the African Climate Summit in Nairobi and the COP28 conference in Dubai Expo City.
Source: Burkina Information Agency