The Pan- African Parliamentarians from countries all over Africa and beyond are convening in Midrand, South Africa for the third Pan-African Parliamentarian Summit from 16 to 17 May 2023. The first day of the Summit called for expedited action in implementing the commitments made under United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement.
The third summit is organized by Pan-African Parliament (PAP) and Pan African Climate Justice Alliance and has attracted over 200 Members representing 54 African countries, including the PAP Bureau, all Permanent Committees, members of the Committee on Rural Economy, Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources; Parliamentarians from National and Regional Parliaments, African Union (AU) Institutions, critical stakeholders, resource persons from relevant institutions and community representatives.
The summit takes place three months ahead the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, and ultimately the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) which will take place in the Arab Emirates in December 2023. Participants on the first discussed the current junctional situation of the continent by linking it with both graceful just transition and Nationally Determined Contributions implementation (NDC), which are responsive to African Development aspirations and Economic Realities.
Speaking to congregants, the President of the Pan-African Parliament, H.E. Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira called for a result-based approach to the deliberations, to ensure that the summit produces concrete solutions to the fight against climate change. “We need a strong institutional arrangement out of this summit and leadership must play a big role in this. Without leadership, nothing will be achieved. Let’s avoid repeating what we have said in the past. We need to interrogate why Development countries are not respecting what they have committed for” said Hon. Chief Fortune Charumbira, President of PAP.
H.E. Hon. Chief Chirumbira added that conversations must be inclusive and that “We must be inclusive, and we must ask whose voice is missing. We must be deliberate in bringing the missing voices onboard.”
Dr. Mithika Mwenda, Executive Director of PACJA, emphasized the role of the Pan African legislative assembly in domesticating climate policies and holding their government accountable through legal frameworks. "We are grateful to the Pan African Parliament for hosting this historic summit on climate policy and equity. This is a crucial moment for Africa and the world, as we face the unprecedented challenges of the climate crisis. We urge our leaders to act with courage and ambition and to uphold the principles of climate justice and human rights, commended Dr. Mithika. He called on developed countries to fulfill the commitment they made to address adverse climate change impacts Africa is traversing.
“We call on the developed countries to fulfill their moral and legal obligations to provide adequate finance, technology, and capacity building to enable Africa to adapt to the impacts of climate change and pursue low-carbon development pathways. We also urge them to increase their ambition and action to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, as agreed in the Paris Agreement. The time for action is now. Africa cannot wait.”
H.E. Josefa Sacko, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) of the African Union Commission has guaranteed to work with the PAP as she underscored the vital role the continental parliament should play. “African Parliamentarians have a great role to play especially as it relates to formulation and speedy passage of relevant climate change policies and climate bills at their various National Parliaments and ensuring such instruments are well implemented,” she said while reading a statement on behalf of H.E Moussa Faki Mahamat, Chairperson of African Union Commission.
She also added that civil society organisations play critical roles in holding governments to accounts and supporting the implementation of climate change adaptation and mitigation activities as well as policy instruments at communities, sub-national and national levels. HE. Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Chair of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) is also expected to grace the summit on the second day of the gathering. Pan-African Parliament and Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance have been working together to promote understanding of the role of fighting against the impact of climate change in Africa.
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