Seychelles is living the consequences of climate impact daily, says Vice-President at AU Summit
Climate |Author: Betymie Bonnelame | February 20, 2023, Monday @ 11:22| 5523 views
Afif gave a brief report on the activities undertaken in 2022 to promote the Africa Island States' action for climate-resilient sustainable development.
Seychelles' Vice-President Ahmed Afif congratulated the COP27 presidency for leading the historic decision to establish a new loss and damage response fund in Egypt, State House said on Sunday.
Afif led Seychelles' delegation at the 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union (AU) from February 18 to 19 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The ground-breaking decision to provide loss and damage funding for vulnerable countries hit hard by climate disasters was taken at the United Nations climate conference (COP27) in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in November 2022.
According to State House, Seychelles' Vice-President intervened in the presentation of the Report of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) by the chair, William Ruto, President of Kenya.
"Seychelles like the rest of the African continent, is living the consequences of climate impact daily and this, coupled with the increasing number of climate disasters, makes it obvious that the era of loss and damage is upon us," said Afif.
He also gave a brief report on the activities undertaken in 2022 to promote the Africa Island States' action for climate-resilient sustainable development.
During the opening ceremony, the chairmanship of the AU was handed over to the President of Comoros by the outgoing chairperson, the President of Senegal, Macky Sall, in the presence of the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres.
The 36th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the AU marked the launch of the 2023 theme - Accelerating implementation of the AfCFTA [the African Continental Free Trade Area]. The theme echoes the continental consensus that the future of Africa lies in greater investment and intra-Africa trade through reduced tariffs and freer movement of peoples and goods.
On the margins of the summit, Afif met the Seychelles diaspora in Addis Ababa in a reception hosted by Ambassador Conrad Mederic at his residence.
Afif also had bilateral meetings to explore and deepen existing cooperation with the delegations of the United States, Kenya, and the AU Commissioner responsible for the Blue Economy.