Yakani calls for ‘remarkable decision’ on climate change at East and Horn of Africa summit

JUBA – Prominent South Sudanese activist Edmund Yakani is appealing to regional leaders meeting in Uganda today to make ‘remarkable and applicable’ decision on climate change to preserve the nature amid warnings of negative implications.

East and Horn of African heads of states and foreign ministers will meet in the capital Kampala from 27 to 29 July, to call for a more integrated approach and response to climate change, ahead of the 27th session of the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) that will take place in Egypt from 7-18 November.

The three-day Regional Inter-Ministerial Conference on Migration, Environment and Climate Change seeks to raise awareness about the impacts of climate change and environmental degradation on human mobility.

President Kiir will lead a high-level South Sudan government delegation to the conference.

In a statement, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO) welcomed the meeting and stressed that warnings about climate change are real and said implications attached to it are real and should be taken seriously.

“CEPO welcomed the East and Horn of Africa Heads and Ministers meeting in Kampala, Uganda, from 27 to 29 July, to call for a more integrated approach and response to climate change, a head of the 27th session of the UN climate change conference of the parties (COP27) that will take place in Egypt from 7-18 November 2022,” Edmund Yakani, the Executive Director of the CEPO told Sudans Post on Tuesday.

“The issue of climate change is real and it has huge negative implications on human growth and development including the fate of livestock especially in East and Horn of Africa. Climate change factors are great drivers of deadly armed violence in the East and Horn of African. The impact of climate change does create shocks on human and livestock. The shocks are deadly armed violence that leads to food insecurity and massive displacement including destruction of properties and livelihood,” he added.

He said “the leaders of East and Horn of Africa should take this opportunity of Kampala conference on climate change seriously and make remarkable and applicable decisions for four able solutions for mitigating climate change threats and risks. Political will is required from our East and Horn of Africa leaders.”

“The recently increases in military economic through military involvement in timber logging, charcoal trading and materials mining is a biggest threat to our climate. This trend requires political will and commitment from our leaders who most of them are leaders from uniform background.”

The prominent activist further appealed to the Sudanese and Ugandan leaders who are also expected to attend the conference to take the opportunity to conduct sidelines meetings with South Sudan leaders to push for peace implementation.

“Finally, CEPO is urging the leadership of Uganda and Sudan as guarantors to the R-ARCSS plus other IGAD member state leaders and AU leaders to take the opportunity of the conference to hold side meeting on generating political renewal of pledge for genuine implementation of the R-ARCSS since south Sudan leader will be attending the conference,” Yakani added.