King Mohammed VI affirmed that the climatic battle of the Sahel region can only be won by the optimal mobilization of the own resources of its States.
In a message to participants in the 2nd Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Climate Commission for the Sahel region, which opened its work on Friday in Addis Ababa, the Sovereign also reiterated the commitment of the Kingdom of continue “to guide our efforts to ensure the resilience of our continent and the ambitions of future African generations”
Here is the full text of the Royal Message which was read by the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch.
“Praise be to God, Prayer and Greetings be upon the Prophet, His family and His companions.
Excellencies My Dear Brothers Heads of State,
Mr. Chairperson of the African Union Commission,
Ladies and Gentlemen Heads of Government,
I rejoice with you at the holding of this second session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Climate Commission for the Sahel region. It gives us the happy opportunity to see that the objectives we set ourselves in Niamey in 2019 during the first Conference (of Heads of State and Government of the Climate Commission for the Sahel region) are on the way to realization.
On this occasion, I salute the leadership provided by Our brother, President Mohamed Bazoum, who has made it possible to pursue, with momentum and determination, the operationalization process.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
By 2030, extreme weather events directly threaten up to 118 million of the poorest Africans. According to estimates, in the G5 Sahel sub-region, poverty could affect an additional 13.5 million people by 2050.
Moreover, despite this alarming record, until 2020, our Continent has received only 12% of global climate financing.
The climate battle in the Sahel region can only be won by the optimal mobilization of its States’ own resources, resolutely combined with international financial support commensurate with the ambitions of the Climate Investment Plan.
This prerequisite is based on the historic creation, at the end of COP27, of a fund responding to the losses and damages amplified by the climate crisis. What region in the world can indeed better justify the raison d’être of this fund? None have been more heavily impacted than the Sahel!
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
As We announced in Our Speech, during the first Conference of the Climate Commission for the Sahel region, Morocco honored its commitment by providing the Commission with its support in terms of capacity building, technical assistance and financial support for the development of feasibility studies so that it can finalize its Climate Investment Plan. Constant in its commitment, the Kingdom already provides the technical assistance necessary for the Commission’s actions and it will work, with the same determination, to complete its roadmap.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
While Africa’s action to address the challenges of the climate crisis continues to face multiple constraints, we can be proud of the wise course that we African leaders have favored, the path of coordinated regional action and concerted.
The Very High Level Meeting of the three African Climate Commissions, held on the sidelines of COP27 on the initiative of My brothers President Macky Sall and President Denis Sassou N’Guesso illustrates this joint approach that should be consolidated. Similarly, strengthening coordination between the governance structures of the three Commissions will allow us to strengthen the coherence of our joint action for a more resilient Africa to climate change.
The commitments We made at the First African Action Summit held in Marrakech in 2016 on the sidelines of COP22 will continue to guide our efforts to ensure the resilience of our continent and the ambitions of future African generations.
Wassalamou alaikoum warahmatoullahi wabarakatouh”.