ALGIERS – Thursday, 13 July 2023 (APS) – Entrusted by President of the Republic, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, Minister of the Environment and Renewable Energy, Fazia Dahlab, has represented Algeria at the high-level preparatory meeting of African presidents and heads of state, in preparation for the African Climate Summit to be held in Kenya from 4 to 6 September, said the Ministry on Thursday in a statement.
In her speech at this preparatory meeting, held on Wednesday in Kenya by videoconference under the chairmanship of Kenyan Head of State, Chairman of the African Union Committee of Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), Dahlab affirmed Algeria’s support for the success of this Summit, and stressed “the importance of placing the African continent at the heart of the issue of climate financing, as Africa is the region most affected by the negative effects of climate change,” the same source added.
Dahlab also called for “the adoption of an inclusive approach to implementing the African strategy for climate financing,” stressing the importance of “taking into account the concerns of African states and the various continental initiatives.”
In this regard, she mentioned the initiative of President of the Republic concerning the creation of an African mechanism for responding to natural disasters, which she felt was “the best way to protect our continent,” according to the same source.
This continental initiative “is fully in line with our national strategy”, said the Minister, recalling that Algeria had drafted a new law on the prevention of major risks and disaster management as part of sustainable development. Adopted by a government meeting on 31 May 2023, this law classifies violent climatic phenomena as a “major risk.”
The preparatory meeting, attended by representatives of African countries including the President of Zambia and the Prime Minister of Egypt, focused on preparations for the African Climate Summit.