President William Ruto on Tuesday, May 16, embarked on a two-day visit to South Africa where he is set to address Heads of State or their representatives from more than fifty countries.
Ruto will be addressing the Third Pan African Parliamentarians Summit on Climate Policy and Equity in his capacity as the Chair of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC).
CAHOSCC is a high-level body of the African Union (AU) that was established in 2009 to provide strategic direction and oversight for Africa's response to climate change.
The CAHOSCC is currently chaired by President William Ruto, and its members include the Heads of State and Governments of all AU Member States.
The CAHOSCC's key functions include developing and implementing the AU's climate change agenda, coordinating Africa's position on climate change negotiations and mobilising resources for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
CAHOSCC is also responsible for raising awareness of climate change and its impacts in Africa. It has also been key in advancing Africa's climate change agenda.
The Summit’s outcomes, together with the related agenda items on trade, will feed into the forthcoming inaugural Africa Climate Action Summit to be held in Nairobi from September 4 to September 6, 2023.
"The Nairobi Summit will be instrumental in shaping Africa's consolidated stance on addressing climate change, propelling the continent from a passive victim to an active participant in climate change solutions," State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohammed stated.
State House explained that collective efforts will be carried forward and presented in forthcoming global forums such as the United Nations General Assembly and COP28.
"Kenya remains a strong actor in the Pan African Parliament and President Ruto's address to the Parliament reaffirms Kenya's dedication to climate action and demonstrates its commitment to fostering consensus among African nations on vital agenda items that profoundly affect the lives and future of the African people and nations," Hussein stated.
In 2015, the CAHOSCC led the AU's negotiations at the Paris Agreement, where Africa secured a number of important commitments, including a Ksh13 trillion ($100 billion) climate finance commitment from developed countries.
The CAHOSCC had been instrumental in mobilising resources for climate change adaptation and mitigation in Africa. In 2019, the CAHOSCC launched the African Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), which aims to mobilize Ksh 100 billion $1 billion for climate change adaptation in Africa.
