852 (XL) Climate Change and Development in Africa

 

The Conference of Ministers,

          Deeply concerned about the daunting challenges that climate change poses for the sustainability of the capacities of ecosystems, food production systems and economic systems, all of which are key to implementing the New partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) sectoral priorities, in particular the NEPAD initiative, and achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa;

          Recalling the 2005 G-8 Gleneagles Summit's pledge to support efforts to help developing countries and regions obtain full benefit from placement of observational systems to fill data gaps, develop in-country and regional capacity for analyzing and interpreting observational capacity for analyzing and interpreting observational data, develop decision-support systems and tools relevant to local needs and, in particular, work to strengthen the existing climate institutions in Africa;

          Noting with appreciation that the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), within the framework of their Joint Secretariat and in collaboration with development partners, are currently developing the Climate Information for Development in Africa (ClimDev Africa) adaptation Programme, to be implemented by relevant African national and regional institutions;

          Mindful of the Decision of the Eighth Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union on Climate Change and Development in Africa and the Resolutions on the same subject at the 12thConference of Parties of the United Nations framework convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP 12) held in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2006; and

          Aware that climate change is a cross-sectoral issue that requires high-level inter-ministerial coordination at the national level as well as full participation of African national, subregional and regional institutions for effective strategies;

  1. Requests ECA to take, in close partnership with AUC, AfDB and in collaboration with relevant African and international institutions, appropriate action for the effective development and implementation of the ClimDv-Africa Programme and to report on progress at each Conference of the Commission;
  2. Commits to provide full support to the implementation of ClimDev-Africa Programme and to integrate climate change into economic planning and management at the level of our respective countries, and
  3. Urges Africa's development partners to support the member States and Regional Economic Communities to integrate climate adaptation and mitigation measures into their development plans and the implementation of the ClimDev Africa Programme.