Uniting for climate action in the sahel: King Mohammed VI addresses 2nd Conference of Climate Commission

King Mohammed VI addressed a message to the participants in the 2nd Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Climate Commission for the Sahel Region, which kicked off Friday in Addis Ababa.

Here follows the full text of the Royal Message, which was read by the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch.

“Praise be to God,

May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin

Your Excellencies, My Dear Brothers, Heads of State,

Honorable Chairperson of the African Union Commission,

Distinguished Heads of Government,

Just like you, I am delighted with the convening of this second session of the Conference of Heads of State and Government of the Climate Commission for the Sahel Region. This meeting is an opportunity to point out that the objectives we set for ourselves in Niamey, in 2019, during the First Conference of the Climate Commission for the Sahel region, are on track to being achieved.

In this regard, I should like to salute the leadership of our brother, President Mohamed Bazoum, who has made it possible to pursue the operationalization process with resolve and dedication.

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

By 2030, up to 118 million of the poorest people in Africa will be directly threatened by extreme weather events. In the G5 Sahel sub-region, it is estimated that poverty could affect an additional 13.5 million people by 2050.

Despite this alarming situation, up to 2020 our continent had received only 12% of global climate funding.

The climate battle in the Sahel region can be won only through the optimal mobilization of the region’s own public funds, which should be accompanied by effective international financial support that matches the ambitions of the Climate Investment Plan.

This prerequisite is based on the historic creation, at COP27, of a fund to address the losses and damages that have been exacerbated by the climate crisis. What other region in the world can better justify the need for this fund? No other region has been more severely impacted than the Sahel!

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Consistent with what I announced in my address to the first Conference of the Climate Commission for the Sahel region, Morocco has honored its commitment by providing the Commission with capacity building, technical assistance and financial support for the preparation of feasibility studies to finalize its Climate Investment Plan. Remaining faithful to its commitment, the Kingdom is already providing the necessary technical assistance to the Commission’s actions and will act, with the same resolve, to complete its roadmap.

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a fact that Africa’s action to rise to the challenges of the climate crisis continues to be hampered by a number of constraints. Nevertheless, we can take pride in the wise path that we, African leaders, have embarked on – the path of coordinated, concerted regional action.

The Very High Level Meeting of the three African Climate Commissions, held on the sidelines of COP 27 on the initiative of my brothers Presidents Macky Sall and Denis Sassou N’Guesso, is an illustration of this solidarity-based approach, which should be strengthened. Similarly, increasing coordination between the governing bodies of the three Commissions will enable us to enhance the coherence of our joint action for an Africa which is more resilient to climate change.

The commitments we made at the First Africa Action Summit held in Marrakech, in 2016, on the sidelines of COP22, will continue to guide our efforts to ensure the continent’s resilience as well as the ambitions of future African generations.

Thank you.

Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.”