Presentation on Africa Day Side Event By H.E. Mrs. Josefa Leonel Correia Sacko Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture

Meeting of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC)

18 September 2017

AU Permanent Observer to the United Nations

New York

Protocol
Your Excellency, Mr. Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of the Republic of Gabon and Coordinator of the Committee of the African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC)
Your Excellency, President Alpha Conde, President of Guinea and Chairperson of the African Union
Your Excellencies, Members of the Committee on African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC)
Your Excellencies, Chair of the Commissions established at the Twenty-Second Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC):
H.E President Muhammadou Issoufou of Niger
H.E. President Denis Sassou Nguesso of Congo
H.E. President Danny Faure of Seychelles
Your Excellencies – African Union Commissioners
Honourable Ministers and Ambassadors
Members of the Diplomatic and Press Corps
Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen

I have the honour to present to Your Excellencies the update on Africa’s preparations for the Twenty-third Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the United Nations Framework on Climate Change (UNFCCC). COP 23 will take place from 6 to 17 November 2017 in Bonn, Germany. The Conference will be convened by the UNFCCC Secretariat, hosted by the Federal Republic of Germany under the Presidency of the Island of Fiji.
The Conference will comprise of the following sessions:
• 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
• 13th Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 13).
• 2nd Part of the 1st Conference of the Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 1.2).
• 47th Session of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation to the UNFCCC (SBI 47)
• 47th Session of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice to the UNFCCC (SBSTA 47)
• Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA)
The African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) and the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change have presented the progress on the status of the global negotiations along with the emerging issues.

Excellencies,
As you are aware, there are usually many programmes and events at the COPs including exhibitions. At COP 23, the Commission in collaboration with the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency; the African Development Bank; and the UN Economic Commission for Africa along with the Central African region: ECCAS; Gabon, Congo; and DRC are jointly organizing an Africa Day side event on 15 November 2017 to show case the best practices and African priorities at COP 23.

The theme of this Africa day side event is: “Enhanced Partnership for the Implementation of the Paris Agreement: Africa’s response.”

Objectives
The main objective of the Africa Day high level event is to provide a platform and opportunity for partners to engage in dialogue on the role of partnership for the implementation of the Paris Agreement.
More specifically, the Africa Day seeks to achieve the following objectives:
1. Outline Africa’s priorities for the implementation of the NDCs in the context of the Paris Agreement;
2. Review the implications and prospects for the implementation of the NDCs for Africa, including associated opportunities for enhanced partnerships with both public and private sectors to scale up climate action in Africa;
3. Have an open conversation on issues related to the need for partnership to mobilize means of implementation for NDCs to support African countries’ national development strategies that are inclusive and aligned to climate-resilient and low carbon transition;
4. Debate on the existing partnership opportunities for NDCs’ financing in Africa, in the context of the Paris Agreement and of SDGs in Africa.

The structure of the Africa Day will be as follows:
1. Keynote addresses by African Heads of Sates (or their representatives), and Heads of AUC, NEPAD, UNECA, AfDB, and AMCEN.
2. Expert Panel Discussion, with a presentation on ”Implementing the Paris Agreement : Policy implications and future prospects”
3. Ministerial Dialogue on ”Enhanced Partnership for the implementation of the Paris Agreement and NDCs in Africa:Opportunities and Challenges ”
4. Conclusion and way forward.

The expected outcomes of the Africa Day Event are as follows:
• Good understanding of the role of partnership regarding the implementation the Paris Agreement and NDCs in Africa;
• Opportunities and challenges for enhancing partnerships for the implementation of NDCs in Africa;
• Better understanding of the implications and prospects of NDCs on Africa’s development.

Targeted Participants
The participants will be primarily African leaders, global leaders and African stakeholders participating at COP 23 and the broad range of development partners and the donor community. Specialized groups like African Negotiators on Climate Change, Parliamentarians, Scientists, Experts, Civil Society Organizations, Private Sector entities, Women, Youth and the Media are encouraged to take part in the event.

Excellencies, we would like to implore all Member States to participate in the Africa Day side event at COP 23.

I thank you for Your Excellencies kind attention.

Obrigado!!!