Ahmed Shaaban (Abu Dhabi, Cairo)
African peoples have high hopes for the Climate Conference “COP28” in the Emirates to help the brown continent face and overcome the repercussions of climate change, which have affected it with desertification and drought that threatens millions with famine.
Experts in environmental and African affairs stressed that COP28 is a great opportunity to save the African continent from the repercussions of climate change. In statements to Al-Ittihad, they said that the UAE has the ability, capabilities and experience to achieve long-awaited goals, whether with regard to fulfilling commitments by developed and rich countries to the Compensation Fund, or transferring technology to face the repercussions of climate change. Ambassador Dr. Salah Halima, Vice-President of the Egyptian-African Council, said that climate changes have a very great impact and damage on the African continent, and it is perhaps the most affected globally. Halima explained to Al-Ittihad that among the great achievements of the COP27 outputs is the establishment of a fund for compensation for the damage that befell countries due to the repercussions of climate change, and there are commitments and pledges from rich countries to provide 100 billion dollars annually to affected countries, especially African countries, in addition to pledges to use modern technology. .
Halima noted that sustainable development in the African continent is an imperative to confront and mitigate the repercussions of climate change on development, especially that which takes place within the framework of the African Union program, which includes approximately 18 sectors, including those related to climate and environmental changes and the development of the green economy in the continent.
For his part, Head of the Air Quality Sector at the Egyptian Ministry of Environment, Dr. Mostafa Murad, said that Africa is one of the regions in the world most affected by climate change, whether at the level of the phenomenon of sea and ocean level rise, high temperature and desertification, or fluctuation in rainfall levels, and thus All this causes great economic losses, in addition to the problems of internal and external migration.
Dr. Murad explained in statements to Al-Ittihad that the decisions that will emerge from COP28 and the measures that will be taken will take into account that Africa has requirements to combat and confront the phenomenon of climate change, and the world must contribute to these measures.
The environmental expert considered that reducing the effects of desertification and drought in Africa; It supports the stability of other continents such as Europe and America, as well as the economic growth of the countries of the brown continent, which contributes to the lack of migration and migration to European countries.
In turn, the international expert in the environment and climate change, Dr. Magdi Allam, indicated in statements to Al-Ittihad that the unbridled climatic phenomena that afflicted Africa caused the loss of a large area of forests, and the extension of the Sahara desert to erode suitable lands in the north and south, but hope remains for the support of developed countries. for the brown continent.
Allam explained that half of the continent’s countries suffer from drought, desertification and loss of environmental, water and food resources, at a time when famine threatens about 25 million people due to severe food insecurity in the Horn of Africa. Allam stated that “COP28” has a great responsibility in implementing the principle that was agreed upon in “COP27”, which is compensation for losses and losses, and the return of lost forests in the world, and the participants in the conference must contribute to the provision of new and renewable energy, expressing his wishes to establish a clean energy fund To restore organic agriculture in Africa.
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