The Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the African Union, Mrs. Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, met on 24 September 2015 with the Honourable Minister of Environment of the Arab Republic of Egypt, H.E Dr. Khaled Fahmy, who is also the current President of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN), to discussed issues of mutual interest on environment, natural resources management and related matters, including climate change.
Discussions during the audience centred on finalizing preparations for the meeting of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) which is being convened on 25 September 2015by H.E Fattah el Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt in his capacity as Coordinator of CAHOSCC, on the margins of the 70th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly holding in New York.
The CAHOSCC meeting will be aimed at finalizing Africa’s contribution to the climate change component of the debate on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as well as refining Africa’s common position on global climate change negotiations in the context of the AU Agenda 2063 among others.
The Commissioner and the Minister also discussed issues pertaining to the forthcoming Twenty First Session of the Conference of Parties (CoP21) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) due in Paris, France at the end of the year 2015.
The Minister briefed the AU Commissioner on the progress made by AMCEN in taking forward the decision of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government in June 2015 in Johannesburg with regard to adaptation and renewable energies.
Commissioner Tumusiime appreciated the efforts being made and expressed the hope that these would contribute to Africa’s building resilience and at the same time complement Africa’s efforts in global climate change negotiations.
The meeting was attended by officials from the Embassies of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Addis Ababa and New York as well as an AUC Official.
