CHAKWERA CALLS FOR CONCERTED EFFORTS IN FIGHTING CLIMATE CHANGE IN AFRICA

President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has called on African countries to work together in building resilience on issues of climate change.

The President has said this at Kamuzu Palace in the capital Lilongwe after attending the Peace and Security Council 984th Meeting of Heads of State and Government in the African Union. The meeting was held through video conferencing.

The meeting had two main agendas. First, the African leaders discussed ways of attaining sustainable peace in Africa with a focus on climate change and its effects on peace and security in the continent. The second agenda was a follow up on the implementation of the decision on silencing the guns.

Dr Chakwera said climate change has harmed women and children of Africa in addition to posing a threat to the security of the continent and as such the continent needs to work together as no nation can attend to such issues alone.

He further said climate change is one of the major threats to peace and security in African countries. He said this is one reason for migration and the result is serious conflicts as people scramble for food, water and arable land.

“I contributed to that light that those that are vulnerable to security issues against climate change can defend themselves. However, we can only do that when we collaborate because that is the way to go. No one nation can respond to such issues by themselves,” said Dr Chakwera.

On silencing the guns in Africa a decision which was made during the 14th Extra-Ordinary Summit of the AU a couple of months ago, Dr Chakwera said the African Union and the United Nations need to work together to find mutually acceptable solutions to silence the guns in African countries. He cited the conflict in Ethiopia as one example of such situations in Africa which needs to be attended to.

“The African Union and the United Nations should work together in achieving peace and security in African countries. I am therefore hoping that the tables will be set for negotiations, ” said the President.

He adds that the United Nations has since appointed a new representative who will take up the issue.

Commenting on the COVID-19 vaccine which African countries are rolling out, the President said though this was not part of the agenda, the AU has been active in fighting the pandemic. He called on Malawians to take out fear as the vaccine will be rolled in the country this Thursday.

For his part, Chairperson of the Peace and Security Council of the African Union, President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya highlighted the need for African countries to work together in protecting the continent from climate change.

Speaking earlier, Chairperson of the African Union who is President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, said sustainable peace and security is one of the conditions for development in Africa.