President Hakainde Hichilema says there is a need for the African continent to speak with one voice when it comes to matters pertaining to climate change.
President Hichilema said African countries must come together and orchestrate a single message to be addressed ahead of the Conference Of Parties (COP) 28.
Mr Hichilema indicated that meaningful impact will only be achieved if the continent speaks with one voice on issues concerning climate change.
He explained that Africa has a good case but the polarization of climate change messages has resulted in the voice of the continent not being felt.
President Hichilema said lack of coherence on the part of Africa has resulted in the world not knowing what exactly Africa wants to be addressed with regards to climate change.
“We must be consistent, sometimes we have a good message but because polarization messages are not heard, you know the rest of the world cannot figure out what exactly Africa wants.”
President Hichilema insisted that African Presidents, Ministers and other leaders should all sing from the same hymn sheet and amplify voices in the area of climate change.
He expressed optimism that with clarity, coordination and consistency Africa will be heard on the global stage.
The Head of State said this during a virtual briefing Meeting for the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) hosted by Kenya.
“For us as Africans and other leaders, all of us as a continent we must start speaking with one voice not only at a summit like this one but all the time around the issue of climate change.
“We should sing from the same hymn sheet, COP 28, which is on the way we must orchestrate a seemingly same message towards COP 28,” he said.
“And when we speak as Heads of State or when Ministers represent us, we must sing from the hymn sheet, so that we can make a meaningful impact. So that issues concerning us are addressed by consistently singing from the same hymn sheet,” President Hichilema stated.
Meanwhile, President Hichilema has bemoaned that the effects of climate change are worsening.
He said Africa has been hit hard despite the continent’s low contribution to the global greenhouse emissions which stands at four percent.
“Despite Africa’s low contribution to global greenhouse emissions which is about just four percent, climate change is worsening and making our situation worse,” President Hichilema said.
He said the effects of climate change are visible for all to see as evidenced from increased frequency of flash floods and flooding across the globe.
The Head of State said Zambia has not been spared from the effects of climate change and disclosed that a number of small-scale farmers in the last two days have lost their crops due to frostbite.
The President said this is the first time that the country is experiencing frostbite at a larger scale.
President Hichilema complained that households have been deprived of income as a result of the frostbite.
“In the last two days a lot of our small scale farmers have had their crops affected which include tomatoes and cabbages, and were destroyed by frostbite for the first time. The effects are visible of climate change, we have never experienced a broader frostbite.
President Hichilema said it is very important that measures are put in place aimed at curbing the impact of climate change on communities.
And President Hichilema says developed countries should honour the commitments they made at the Paris summit.
He explained that the commitments were made willingly hence their obligation to honour their commitments.
“The commitments that our colleagues made willingly at the Paris summit must simply meet those obligations, please let’s get our colleagues to meet their obligations,” he said.
He said Africa is already showing strong momentum towards green investment and should continue.
“Africa is clearly already showing strong momentum towards investing in green areas, investments are very important to spur industrialization despite the effects of climate change, indeed we must advance investments that are green in nature,” he said.
And speaking earlier, President William Ruto of Kenya who is the current Chair of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) said Africa should be part of the solution to the fight against climate change.
Mr Ruto said Africa must effectively participate in soliciting for climate solutions as the continent has not been spared.
The Kenyan leader said there is need to accelerate investment as this is key to addressing the impact of climate change.
Until you unite with the world on matters of LGBT rights, you will not achieve a single positive thing is africa or zambia. The only positive thing you will achieve is a Hiv test and poverty. Why do you think the most successful countries have LGBTs rights
WISE MOVE HOWEVER WE AFRICANS THINK OF TODAY AND NOT TOMORROW
SO WONT WORK
What these people don’t realize is that as long as we allow the foreigner to run our economies, we have no power over climate change and other environmental issues.
As for the call for a united front, that’s a cry in the Kalahari desert…. each African leader shows unit in the open but in the night they cut deals with their master.
African mentality is only about today….and keeping our communities dirty…throwing garbage everywhere…blocking our drainage system if at all we have any….before we start thinking about climate change let’s clean our communities and get rid of chibolya…chawama and Kanyama….with the money spent on foreign trips we can build low cost houses along kabwe road and resettle Chibolya,Chawama and Kanyama residents…but HH is all talk no action
Very advanced thinking.. too advanced for their ilk.
You have spoken. action speaks louder than words.
1. There are too many double standards about Climate Change. What politicians say is opposite to what they do. The US/UK Retail Giants have proxy manufacturing companies in China that produce wearables for their UK/USA Retail Outlets because of Chinese cheap labour. These companies are polluting the skies in China, affecting the global climate. The US & UK governments are happy to see these cheap affordable clothes for an average person in the street outlets. Some UK/USA politicians have stock shares in these companies. But you don’t see these politicians cry about pollution created by UK/USA companies based in China where they have put investments. China will not say “NO” to these UK/USA companies setting up plants in China. It’s good for its economy.
2. If a US Company invested $5B Billion to set up a manufacturing or producing business in Zambia that will heavily pollute the skies of Zambia, but create 25,000 good paying jobs in the Copperbelt or Lusaka Province, HH will not say NO. He will welcome them with wide open hands, stand on the pulpit, wait for Zambians to praise his government and forget about getting polluted. We’ve had both Glencore & Vendetta pollute our rivers. RB, SATA, LUNGU & HH… have all been a disappointment to speak up for the poor who have suffered from pollution due to special interests. The is a reason why African Leaders cannot speak one voice. Every president wants to create jobs for his people. They’ll put a blind eye and forgetting about Climate Preservation or COP
3. HH was strongly against mining in Lower Zambezi, to preserve our wildlife while in opposition. Today he is singing a different song and done a deal to mine in Lower Zambezi. Tell me! does this sound like a President who is serious about the Climate Preservations or Climate Change or special interests? And he did it without even advancing or alerting his own cabinet team who were stunned by his decision to give a go ahead mandate.
@INDEPENDENT OBSERVER… OK we know you made your $20m Dollars from Bitcoin after having worked for Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Investment Banks. You may have goods points in what you say time after time…………. But please let HH run the nation without interfering from people like you,
@ TARINO ORANGE, @DEJA VU, @AYATOLLAH, @CHIZA CHIRWA @ KAIZER ZULU……………
Ba @ TARINO ORANGE was for HH, now that his uncle has not gotten Ka’ Diplomatic Job.. Ba @ TARINO OARANGE hates HH…..
#Zambia Today…me interfering with HH’s programs? You must be living on Jupiter. HH’s real enemies are people like you who praise him even when he’s wrong. Listen to the one who tells you the hard truths. You justfy everything wrong.
First of all, HH is only interested in the money that the west have promised African countries towards climate change. HH is always looking for handouts and something to sale to white people. Secondly, African leaders have no confidence in HH because they knows he is a western puppet and most African leaders will not take him seriously. They know he will fails to challenge his matters when the time comes. Look what he did in Paris not sticking to his fellow Africans. A dog hardly bites its owner.
When will Zambia be the host ?
Its a bold and necessary move to call for unity on the African front in quest of what we need to have – carbon financing. Africa needs to be kept as green as possible for the literal survival of the rest of the world. So yes, HH has taken the bull by the horns and entered the fray on climate change financing tactics! Tactics comrades!