Johannesbourg, South Africa (ADV) – In celebrating Africa Day, the opening day of COP24 Leader’s Summit focused on how to ensure that all development partners deepen their partnerships and commitments to deliver concrete actions and resources for African countries to deliver their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) targets and enable the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Also focusing on how the implementation of Africa’s NDC for a healthy environment can accelerate development on the continent, the Africa Day was organized around the theme, “The Africa Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) Hub: Going further and faster with NDC implementation in support of Agenda 2063.”
The Africa Day was instituted by the African Heads of State and Government during the COP17 in Durban, South Africa.
The day is also a joint initiative of the African Development Bank, African Union Commission UN Economic Commission for Africa and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD).
The day was co-organized by the four Pan-African institutions along with the Kingdom of Lesotho and the Republic of Gabon, the Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and the African Risk Capacity (ARC).
Present at the event was Gabon’s Minister of Foreign affairs, Regis Immongault, on behalf of President Ali Bongo Ondimba, Coordinator of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), Josefa Sacko, the African Union Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture represented the chair Person of the African Union commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat.
Foreign Minister Immongault noted that the outcomes of COP 24 should facilitate development in Africa. He emphasised the need to develop strong partnerships to implement the NDCs in Africa. “I also extend appreciation to the Africa NDC Hub for reaching out to Partners to support Africa,” said Immongault.
“In this regard, I wish to urge more Partners to come on board to support African countries in the implementation of the NDCs for the achievement of Africa’s commitment to the Paris Agreement.”
Emphasising the commitment of Africa, Africa Union Commissioner Sacko mentioned that the continent remain steadfast to tackling climate change and its impacts.
“Countries in Africa continue to suffer from the adverse impacts of climate change with the costs of climate change threatening the realization of the aspirations of Agenda 2063 the Africa we want. Climate change is also partially to blame for increased migration of African youths to Europe through the deadly Mediterranean Sea due to shrinking livelihood opportunities”.
Representing the President of the African Development Bank Group, Antony Nyong, Director of Climate Change and Green Growth, said, “African countries require significant resources to meet their commitments to the Paris Agreement. The Africa NDC Hub hosted at the African Development Bank, represents a concerted effort by development partner institutions to leverage each other’s comparative advantage in mobilizing resources necessary for Africa to embark on a low-carbon and climate-resilient development pathway.”
The Officer in Charge of the African Climate Policy Centre and Executive Secretary of UNECA, Vera Songwe said that, “the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa is implementing organizational reforms which will deepen engagement with the public and private sectors and ensure that public policy provides incentives for the private sector to contribute to the implementation of the NDCs and to take advantage of the investment opportunities offered by the transition to carbon neutral development pathways.”
© Bur-csa – A.H – N.A / From our regional correspondent Mkhululi Chimoio – African Daily Voice (ADV) – Follow us on Twitter : @ADVinfo_eng
