African negotiators meet in Kenya to develop common position ahead of UN Climate Change conference

Nairobi: More than 100 African negotiators on Tuesday started a four-day meeting in Nairobi, the Kenyan capital, to craft a roadmap ahead of the 29th session of the Conference of Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November.

Lawmakers and scientists are also attending the meeting to discuss the operationalization of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) as a top priority following earlier adoption of a framework aimed at enhancing climate resilience.

George Wamukoya, team lead of the African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES), said that the negotiators are reviewing options and developing a common African position ahead of COP29.

"We are also deliberating on transboundary climate adaptation risks that are crucial, as these risks often extend beyond national borders, demanding regional collaboration," Wamukoya said, Xinhua news agency reported.

He said the Nairobi meeting would also raise awareness among negotiators from the Least Developed Countries on the latest evidence on Transboundary Climate Adaptation Risks and how to strategize for further policy inclusion at the international level.

Wamukoya said the climate crisis has taken a toll on African nations, devastating livelihoods amid recurrent droughts, floods and wildfires, adding that adequate financing is key to boosting resilience.

Emile Guirieoulou, the chairman of the Africa Network of Parliamentarians on Climate Change from Cote d'Ivoire, said lawmakers have rallied behind climate action across the continent through the enactment of robust policies and legislation.

Moses Kajwang, a Kenyan senator and the convener of the Senate Climate Change caucus, said that African lawmakers and negotiators will put pressure on polluting countries to allocate funds to the least-developed countries.

Kajwang observed that climate change is fueling insecurity in the continent amid competition for shrinking resources such as fresh water, arable land and pasture.

Delegates attending the Nairobi meeting, with conveners including the African Union Development Agency, and the International Livestock Research Institute, pledged to revitalize climate action in key sectors such as agriculture alongside energy to lower greenhouse gas emissions and transition the continent to a resilient future.