By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES) is convening a strategy meeting in Nairobi in collaboration with key partners with a focus on aligning African priorities with global climate objectives.
The four-day meeting which was opened by the Gender Permanent Secretary, Ms. Ann Wang’ombe, is expected to conclude on Friday, April 12, 2024, with a Common African Position ahead of the SB60 session in Bonn, Germany, in June’s life this year.
The common African position will provide the African negotiators with a strategy and an approach to engage in negotiations on agriculture, adaptation, loss and damage and adaptation finance. The discussions will also focus on health, gender and water as well as biodiversity.
The event has brought together climate experts from 30 African countries ranging from policymakers, negotiators, experts, practitioners, farmer organisations, civil society organisations (CSOs), UNFCCC and gender national focal points, development partners, and international and regional research organisations.
Reflect on COP28 outcomes, particularly regarding agriculture, adaptation, loss and damage, adaptation finance, gender and climate change, health and climate change, water and climate security, biodiversity, and nature-based solutions.
Prepare a common African position and submission on key agenda items for SB60, including agriculture, adaptation, gender, health, water, and biodiversity.
Inform African negotiators on emerging areas of interest such as the development and alignment of Long-Term Strategies (LTS) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF), capacity-building for accessing adaptation finance, and IPCC work.
Ms. Anne Wang’ombe, PS, State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action, said: “In Kenya, we have embarked on a National Gender and Climate Change vulnerabilities hotspot mapping exercise, with support from AGNES, to inform targeted actions in sectors such as Water, Energy, and Agriculture. Beyond my department, the Kenyan government has prioritised climate change initiatives, including the promotion of green energy and tree planting initiatives. Our collective representation across various sectors underscores the holistic approach needed to tackle climate challenges, integrating gender perspectives into policies and actions.”
Dr. George Wamukoya, OGW, Team Lead, AGNES: “We stand at a critical juncture in the fight against climate change. The urgency to address the warming planet has never been more palpable. As we convene for the Pre-SB60 AGNES Strategy Meeting, it’s imperative that we unite under a common African position. Together with our esteemed partners and collaborators, we aim to pave the way for meaningful action at the upcoming SB60 session. Our collective efforts, guided by reflection on COP28 outcomes, will shape strategic approaches across crucial themes: agriculture, adaptation, gender equality, health, water security, biodiversity, and nature-based solutions.
“Through dialogue, collaboration, and determination, we endeavor to chart a path towards resilience, sustainability, and equitable development. Let us seize this opportunity to make a tangible difference in the fight against climate change.”
Desta Lakew, Global Partnerships for Africa Lead, AMREF Health Africa: “As we convene in Nairobi for the Pre-SB60 Strategy Meeting, it’s imperative to acknowledge the urgent nexus between climate change and health. AMREF Health Africa stands at the forefront of this critical dialogue, advocating for greater recognition of health considerations within climate negotiations. With rising temperatures exacerbating disease burdens and threatening food security, the time for action is now.
“We urge increased interdisciplinary collaboration, investment in research, and political support to ensure that health remains central to climate discourse. Together, let’s pave the way for a resilient future where the well-being of people and planet go hand in hand.”
Dr. Mithika Mwenda, Executive Director, PACJA: “PACJA pledges to leverage its convening power by facilitating broad-based consultations on adaptation issues at SB60 and engaging with negotiation blocks. It also aims to anchor key agendas legislatively through platforms like the Pan African Parliament and ACLI networks, while providing a unified platform for African non-state actors. Additionally, PACJA will co-host Africa Climate Talks with UNECA to amplify messaging and support the Keep Your Promise Campaign for increased adaptation financing.”
African Group of Negotiators (AGN) Interim Chair, Dr. Alick Muvhundika (represented by Natasha Museba, a member of the AGN Policy and Legal Team), said: “Health is identified as one of the targets to be considered in the framing of the GGA that it will be used to assess the impacts of climate. The target is to achieve universal health coverage for climate related health impacts, strengthen climate-resilient health systems and services, and eliminate climate-related mortality and morbidity, by 2030. This is informed by WHO targets as well as SDG targets. Africa in particular is on the frontline of the climate-induced health burden.
“There has been a 63% increase in the number of zoonotic outbreaks in Africa in the decade from 2012-2022 compared to 2001-2011. Zoonotic diseases represent approximately 32% of Africa’s infectious disease outbreaks reported between 2001 and 2022. This could be due to several reasons, including Arica being the world’s fastest-growing population, growing demand for food derived from animals, rising urbanization, and encroachment on the habitats of wildlife.
“Existing and future impacts of Climate Change will substantially challenge global efforts to build healthy populations. Losses to the public health sector as a result of climate impacts include damage to infrastructure due to extreme weather. Facilities and health services themselves will need to adapt or become more resilient, to reduce the health risks to populations and maintain service delivery despite climate-related disruptions.”
