AU Encourages African Countries to Continue Supporting Work of African Climate Commissions Established at COP22 in Marrakech

Addis Ababa – The African Union (AU) encourages its Member States to continue supporting the work of the African Climate Commissions established at the COP22 held in Marrakech in 2016 to spearhead the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

The AU Peace and Security Council (PSC) “encourages Member States to continue to support and facilitate the work of the African Climate Commissions established during the COP22 held in Marrakech, in the Kingdom of Morocco in 2016, to spearhead the implementation of the Paris Agreement, namely, the Island Climate Commission, chaired by H.E. President Wavel Ramkalawan of the Republic of Seychelles; the Congo Basin Commission, chaired by H.E. President Denis Sassou Nguesso of the Republic of Congo; as well as the Sahel Climate Commission, chaired by H.E. President Muhamed Bazoum of the Republic of Niger; as well as to ensure that these Commissions enhance their collaboration with the AU Commission,” reads a communiqué issued Wednesday following a meeting on climate change, peace and security in Africa, held on April 21 with the participation of Morocco.

The AU PSC also “highlights the need for Member States and Regional Economic Communities and Regional Mechanisms (RECs/RMs) to share experiences, lessons and best practices in addressing the adverse effects of climate change, as well as to develop more effective synergies between the relevant local, national, regional and Continental entities in order to ensure more coordinated efforts aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of climate change.”

According to the communiqué, the AU body “underscores the importance of all Member States to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, as well as to partner with the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations in building effective national climate change resilience capacities, including in agriculture and in developing climate-smart infrastructure.”

Morocco was represented at the April 21st meeting by a delegation led by the Ambassador Permanent Representative of the Kingdom to the AU and UNECA, Mohamed Arrouchi.