AfDB: EU’s carbon tax could cost Africa $25bn a year

The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism will penalise Africa’s value-added products and force it to remain an exporter of raw materials to Europe, warned AfDB president Akinwumi Adesina at COP28.

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Image : AfDB

Africa could lose up to $25bn per annum as a direct result of the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), the president of the African Development Bank has warned.

Speaking at the Sustainable Trade Africa Conference on the sidelines of Cop28 in Dubai, Akinwumi Adesina argued that the mechanism could significantly constrain Africa’s trade and industrialisation progress by penalising value-added exports including steel, cement, iron, aluminium and fertilisers.

“With Africa’s energy deficit and reliance mainly on fossil fuels, especially diesel, the implication is that Africa will be forced to export raw commodities again into Europe, which will further cause de-industrialisation of Africa. Africa has been short-changed by climate change; now it will be short-changed in global trade,” he said.

Why is Europe introducing the CBAM?

The European Commission describes the CBAM, which entered its transitional phase on 1 October, as its “landmark tool to fight carbon leakage”.  Carbon leakage occurs when companies based in the EU move carbon-intensive production abroad to countries where less stringent climate policies are in place.

It is intended to equalise the price of carbon between domestic products and imports, “ensuring that the EU’s climate policies are not undermined by production relocating to countries with less ambitious green standards or by the replacement of EU products by more carbon-intensive imports.”

The CBAM will initially apply to imports of certain goods and selected precursors whose production is carbon intensive and at most significant risk of carbon leakage – cement, iron and steel, aluminium, fertilisers, electricity and hydrogen. When fully phased in it will capture more than 50% of the emissions in sectors covered by the EU’s Emissions Trading System.

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Speaking at the time of its introduction, Valdis Dombrovskis, the European Commission’s executive vice-president for an economy that works for people, said that the mechanism was compliant with World Trade Organisation rules.

“The EU needs the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism to achieve its ambitious emission reduction targets and achieve climate neutrality by 2050. The CBAM will tackle the risk of carbon leakage in a non-discriminatory way and in full compliance with WTO rules. The EU will be leading by example and encouraging global industry to embrace greener and more sustainable technologies.”

CBAM undermines Africa’s competitiveness

Citing data from the International Renewable Energy Agency, Adesina said that Africa is already being overlooked in the global energy transition and the legislation will only serve to drive inequalities between the regions.

“Africa received just $60bn or 2% of the $3 trillion of global investments in renewable energy in the past two decades, a trend that will now impact negatively on its ability to export competitively into Europe.”

In response, Adesina called for “Just Trade-for-Energy Transition partnerships,” which he said would enable Africa’s renewable ambitions without restricting its trade prospects.

“This system does not take into consideration the principle of common but differentiated responsibility as per the Paris Accord, which requires developed countries to peak on carbon emissions and achieve net-zero in the first half of the century, while developing countries peak and achieve net-zero in the second half of the century,” he underlined.

Benedict Oramah, president of Afreximbank, also warned of the danger that Africa must manage its pace of decarbonisation given the financial costs.

“Preliminary results of a study recently commissioned by Afreximbank reveal that rapid decarbonisation by fossil fuel-exporting countries in Africa could cut merchandise exports by $150bn,” he warned.

Source. AfricanBusiness, 7th December 2023

 

 

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Kenya court suspends privatisation of 11 companies

Kenya court suspends privatisation of 11 companies

Kenya court suspends privatisation of 11 companies

Kenya President William Ruto speaks during a plenary session …   –  

Copyright © africanews

Peter Dejong/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved.

Kenya

A court has suspended the privatisation of 11 state-owned companies in Kenya, including the national oil and gas company, following an appeal by the main opposition party, a court source said on Tuesday.

According to main opposition leader Raila Odinga, the sale of the state’s holdings should be subject to a referendum because of the strategic importance of the companies concerned in this country, the economic powerhouse of East Africa.

In his decision handed down late on Monday, High Court judge Chacha Mwita said he was “satisfied that the (opposition) application raises constitutional and legal issues of public importance that require critical examination”.

The sale process has therefore been suspended until 6 February, when the case will be examined on its merits.

On November 27, the Kenyan government announced the sale of stakes in 11 public companies in order to replenish the state coffers, at a time when tax revenues are falling short of its targets.

The Kenyan economy is plagued by galloping inflation and a plummeting currency, which has caused the cost of debt repayment to soar.

The 11 companies, including the national oil and gas company and one of its operators, agricultural enterprises and a publishing house, are among the 35 that President William Ruto announced last week that he wanted to privatise.

At the end of June, the public debt of the country of some 53 million inhabitants stood at more than 10,100 billion shillings (64.4 billion euros), according to the government, or around two-thirds of gross domestic product.

The cost of servicing the country’s debt, mainly to China, has soared while the Kenyan currency has plummeted to record levels, with the shilling now trading at around 153 to the dollar.

The agricultural sector, which accounts for 21% of GDP in 2022 and is the biggest contributor to the Kenyan economy, has been hard hit by the recent drought, followed by torrential rains.

Since Kenya passed a privatisation law in 2005, only six public companies have been partially sold, including the largest telecommunications operator Safaricom and electricity producer KenGen.

Source: africanews, 5th December 2023

Kenya court suspends privatisation of 11 companies

Kenya court suspends privatisation of 11 companies

Kenya President William Ruto speaks during a plenary session …   –  

Copyright © africanews

Peter Dejong/Copyright 2023 The AP. All rights reserved.

Kenya

A court has suspended the privatisation of 11 state-owned companies in Kenya, including the national oil and gas company, following an appeal by the main opposition party, a court source said on Tuesday.

According to main opposition leader Raila Odinga, the sale of the state’s holdings should be subject to a referendum because of the strategic importance of the companies concerned in this country, the economic powerhouse of East Africa.

In his decision handed down late on Monday, High Court judge Chacha Mwita said he was “satisfied that the (opposition) application raises constitutional and legal issues of public importance that require critical examination”.

The sale process has therefore been suspended until 6 February, when the case will be examined on its merits.

On November 27, the Kenyan government announced the sale of stakes in 11 public companies in order to replenish the state coffers, at a time when tax revenues are falling short of its targets.

The Kenyan economy is plagued by galloping inflation and a plummeting currency, which has caused the cost of debt repayment to soar.

The 11 companies, including the national oil and gas company and one of its operators, agricultural enterprises and a publishing house, are among the 35 that President William Ruto announced last week that he wanted to privatise.

At the end of June, the public debt of the country of some 53 million inhabitants stood at more than 10,100 billion shillings (64.4 billion euros), according to the government, or around two-thirds of gross domestic product.

The cost of servicing the country’s debt, mainly to China, has soared while the Kenyan currency has plummeted to record levels, with the shilling now trading at around 153 to the dollar.

The agricultural sector, which accounts for 21% of GDP in 2022 and is the biggest contributor to the Kenyan economy, has been hard hit by the recent drought, followed by torrential rains.

Since Kenya passed a privatisation law in 2005, only six public companies have been partially sold, including the largest telecommunications operator Safaricom and electricity producer KenGen.

Source: africanews, 5th December 2023

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South Africa: Scatec amongst winners of 513 MW battery storage tender

By Cameron Murray December 1, 2023

scatec eskom south africa solar storage project

A separate solar and storage project Scatec is building in South Africa, awarded to the firm through another procurement. Image: Scatec.

Norway-based IPP Scatec has won preferred bidder status for a 103MW/412MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project in South Africa, part of a 513MW tender.

The firm has won the award for the Mogobe BESS, one of four to be granted preferred bidder status under the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP), it said yesterday (30 November).

BESIPPPP is being run by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), which issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the procurement seeking five 4-hour BESS projects back in March this year. Four out of five projects have now seen a party given preferred bidder status with a fifth ‘to be appointed’, the South Africa state body said on the same day as Scatec’s announcement, though the companies behind them have not been revealed.

All five will be located at various substations run by grid operator Eskom and will provide it with capacity, energy and ancillary services, specifically Instantaneous Reserves, Regulating Reserves, Ten Reserves and Supplemental Reserves.

The ones to have a preferred bidder status are Agganeis (77MW), Mookodi (77M) Nieuwehoop (103MW) and Scatec’s at the Ferrum substation, with the largest, Garona (153MW) still to be announced.

Eskom has struggled to prevent regular blackouts from occurring in South Africa, and is aiming for large-scale BESS projects to help increase resiliency and stability on the grid.

“This marks another significant achievement for Scatec in South Africa and for the renewable energy transition in the country. Today’s award reaffirms our standing as a leading renewable energy player in South Africa. We applaud the South African government’s commitment and dedication to the battery storage procurement programme,” says Scatec CEO Terje Pilskog.

The firm, controlled by the Norwegian state, is already building solar-and-storage projects in South Africa awarded through a separate procurement, the Risk Mitigation Power Procurement Programme (RMIPPP) programme.

BESIPPPP’s minimum round-trip efficiency (RTE) requirement of 70% for the energy storage technologies provoked some debate over where flow batteries would be eligible. Analysis given to Energy-Storage.news by consultancies Clean Horizon and Harmattan Renewables suggested they wouldn’t, to which integrated vanadium producer Bushveld Minerals – which has a stake in vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) firm CellCubeswiftly responded in disagreement.

Both BESIPPPP and RMIPPP are separate from another procurement which has awarded contracts for 1,440MWh of BESS capacity, with the first system from that scheme coming online last month.

In its BESIPPPP announcement, the DMRE also said a new RMIPPP project award has been granted, for a 75MW solar and BESS project in De Aar, Northern Cape, though didn’t say which company was behind that.

Source:  Energy Storage News

By Cameron Murray December 1, 2023

scatec eskom south africa solar storage project

A separate solar and storage project Scatec is building in South Africa, awarded to the firm through another procurement. Image: Scatec.

Norway-based IPP Scatec has won preferred bidder status for a 103MW/412MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project in South Africa, part of a 513MW tender.

The firm has won the award for the Mogobe BESS, one of four to be granted preferred bidder status under the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP), it said yesterday (30 November).

BESIPPPP is being run by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), which issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the procurement seeking five 4-hour BESS projects back in March this year. Four out of five projects have now seen a party given preferred bidder status with a fifth ‘to be appointed’, the South Africa state body said on the same day as Scatec’s announcement, though the companies behind them have not been revealed.

All five will be located at various substations run by grid operator Eskom and will provide it with capacity, energy and ancillary services, specifically Instantaneous Reserves, Regulating Reserves, Ten Reserves and Supplemental Reserves.

The ones to have a preferred bidder status are Agganeis (77MW), Mookodi (77M) Nieuwehoop (103MW) and Scatec’s at the Ferrum substation, with the largest, Garona (153MW) still to be announced.

Eskom has struggled to prevent regular blackouts from occurring in South Africa, and is aiming for large-scale BESS projects to help increase resiliency and stability on the grid.

“This marks another significant achievement for Scatec in South Africa and for the renewable energy transition in the country. Today’s award reaffirms our standing as a leading renewable energy player in South Africa. We applaud the South African government’s commitment and dedication to the battery storage procurement programme,” says Scatec CEO Terje Pilskog.

The firm, controlled by the Norwegian state, is already building solar-and-storage projects in South Africa awarded through a separate procurement, the Risk Mitigation Power Procurement Programme (RMIPPP) programme.

BESIPPPP’s minimum round-trip efficiency (RTE) requirement of 70% for the energy storage technologies provoked some debate over where flow batteries would be eligible. Analysis given to Energy-Storage.news by consultancies Clean Horizon and Harmattan Renewables suggested they wouldn’t, to which integrated vanadium producer Bushveld Minerals – which has a stake in vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) firm CellCubeswiftly responded in disagreement.

Both BESIPPPP and RMIPPP are separate from another procurement which has awarded contracts for 1,440MWh of BESS capacity, with the first system from that scheme coming online last month.

In its BESIPPPP announcement, the DMRE also said a new RMIPPP project award has been granted, for a 75MW solar and BESS project in De Aar, Northern Cape, though didn’t say which company was behind that.

Source:  Energy Storage News

By Cameron Murray December 1, 2023

scatec eskom south africa solar storage project

A separate solar and storage project Scatec is building in South Africa, awarded to the firm through another procurement. Image: Scatec.

Norway-based IPP Scatec has won preferred bidder status for a 103MW/412MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project in South Africa, part of a 513MW tender.

The firm has won the award for the Mogobe BESS, one of four to be granted preferred bidder status under the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP), it said yesterday (30 November).

BESIPPPP is being run by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), which issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the procurement seeking five 4-hour BESS projects back in March this year. Four out of five projects have now seen a party given preferred bidder status with a fifth ‘to be appointed’, the South Africa state body said on the same day as Scatec’s announcement, though the companies behind them have not been revealed.

All five will be located at various substations run by grid operator Eskom and will provide it with capacity, energy and ancillary services, specifically Instantaneous Reserves, Regulating Reserves, Ten Reserves and Supplemental Reserves.

The ones to have a preferred bidder status are Agganeis (77MW), Mookodi (77M) Nieuwehoop (103MW) and Scatec’s at the Ferrum substation, with the largest, Garona (153MW) still to be announced.

Eskom has struggled to prevent regular blackouts from occurring in South Africa, and is aiming for large-scale BESS projects to help increase resiliency and stability on the grid.

“This marks another significant achievement for Scatec in South Africa and for the renewable energy transition in the country. Today’s award reaffirms our standing as a leading renewable energy player in South Africa. We applaud the South African government’s commitment and dedication to the battery storage procurement programme,” says Scatec CEO Terje Pilskog.

The firm, controlled by the Norwegian state, is already building solar-and-storage projects in South Africa awarded through a separate procurement, the Risk Mitigation Power Procurement Programme (RMIPPP) programme.

BESIPPPP’s minimum round-trip efficiency (RTE) requirement of 70% for the energy storage technologies provoked some debate over where flow batteries would be eligible. Analysis given to Energy-Storage.news by consultancies Clean Horizon and Harmattan Renewables suggested they wouldn’t, to which integrated vanadium producer Bushveld Minerals – which has a stake in vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) firm CellCubeswiftly responded in disagreement.

Both BESIPPPP and RMIPPP are separate from another procurement which has awarded contracts for 1,440MWh of BESS capacity, with the first system from that scheme coming online last month.

In its BESIPPPP announcement, the DMRE also said a new RMIPPP project award has been granted, for a 75MW solar and BESS project in De Aar, Northern Cape, though didn’t say which company was behind that.

Source:  Energy Storage News

By Cameron Murray December 1, 2023

scatec eskom south africa solar storage project

A separate solar and storage project Scatec is building in South Africa, awarded to the firm through another procurement. Image: Scatec.

Norway-based IPP Scatec has won preferred bidder status for a 103MW/412MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) project in South Africa, part of a 513MW tender.

The firm has won the award for the Mogobe BESS, one of four to be granted preferred bidder status under the Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP), it said yesterday (30 November).

BESIPPPP is being run by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), which issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the procurement seeking five 4-hour BESS projects back in March this year. Four out of five projects have now seen a party given preferred bidder status with a fifth ‘to be appointed’, the South Africa state body said on the same day as Scatec’s announcement, though the companies behind them have not been revealed.

All five will be located at various substations run by grid operator Eskom and will provide it with capacity, energy and ancillary services, specifically Instantaneous Reserves, Regulating Reserves, Ten Reserves and Supplemental Reserves.

The ones to have a preferred bidder status are Agganeis (77MW), Mookodi (77M) Nieuwehoop (103MW) and Scatec’s at the Ferrum substation, with the largest, Garona (153MW) still to be announced.

Eskom has struggled to prevent regular blackouts from occurring in South Africa, and is aiming for large-scale BESS projects to help increase resiliency and stability on the grid.

“This marks another significant achievement for Scatec in South Africa and for the renewable energy transition in the country. Today’s award reaffirms our standing as a leading renewable energy player in South Africa. We applaud the South African government’s commitment and dedication to the battery storage procurement programme,” says Scatec CEO Terje Pilskog.

The firm, controlled by the Norwegian state, is already building solar-and-storage projects in South Africa awarded through a separate procurement, the Risk Mitigation Power Procurement Programme (RMIPPP) programme.

BESIPPPP’s minimum round-trip efficiency (RTE) requirement of 70% for the energy storage technologies provoked some debate over where flow batteries would be eligible. Analysis given to Energy-Storage.news by consultancies Clean Horizon and Harmattan Renewables suggested they wouldn’t, to which integrated vanadium producer Bushveld Minerals – which has a stake in vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) firm CellCubeswiftly responded in disagreement.

Both BESIPPPP and RMIPPP are separate from another procurement which has awarded contracts for 1,440MWh of BESS capacity, with the first system from that scheme coming online last month.

In its BESIPPPP announcement, the DMRE also said a new RMIPPP project award has been granted, for a 75MW solar and BESS project in De Aar, Northern Cape, though didn’t say which company was behind that.

Source:  Energy Storage News

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Uganda secures $253 million funding for road construction December 2, 2023 newbusin

[Uganda secures $253 million funding for road construction

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group approved a loan of $252.83 million to Uganda, to fund the construction of the Laropi-Moyo-Afoji and Katuna-Muko-Kamuganguzi road.

The financial support consists of two loans: $179.68 million from the African Development Bank and $73.15 million from the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional loan window. “The Laropi-Moyo-Afoji/Katuna-Muko-Kamuganguzi road project is intended to improve rural transport connectivity and facilitate regional integration in the districts of Kabale, Rubanda, and Moyo, in Uganda. It will boost incomes, deepen regional integration, and facilitate trade while opening up an alternative transport corridor linking Uganda with South Sudan,”, said Augustine Ngafuan, the African Development Bank’s Country Manager in Uganda.

“Building this infrastructure will enable economic operators along this route to reduce costs and lead times while improving the efficiency of transport logistics,” added Mr. Ngafuan.

In addition to the two main roads, the project will also support the following social complementary initiative: 5 kilometres of roads in small towns and non-motorized traffic facilities (walkways and cycle tracks) within Moyo and Laropi in northwestern Uganda to improve mobility; street lighting to improve the business environment for traders, and regional bus terminus in Moyo.

The project also provides for the construction of market stalls complete with cold storage facilities in Kashasha/Katuna, Moyo and Laropi to support women traders who currently operate on the roadsides, in order to improve earnings from perishable products such as fish and vegetables.

There will also be flood protection works in Laropi to strengthen resilience to the effects of climate change and reduce disruptions to commercial activities. Lastly, a one-stop border post will be constructed in Afoji/Jale on the Uganda-South Sudan border to boost trade and transport activities and facilitate the harmonization customs and coordination of the border-crossing operations and supply chains.

The Laropi-Moyo-Afoji road is located in northwestern Uganda, in the district of Moyo, which has a population of about 140,000. Some 80% of the district’s land is arable and suitable for agriculture and horticulture. The Western Nile sub-region currently hosts more than 500,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. The road will provide vital access to several refugee camps and support agricultural communities in Kabale and Rubanda districts, with a combined population of about 460,000 inhabitants.

As of November 2023, the African Development Bank Group’s active portfolio in Uganda comprised 23 projects with a total commitment of $1,957 million.

Source:  New Business Ethiopia, 2nd December, 2023

[Uganda secures $253 million funding for road construction

The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank (AfDB) Group approved a loan of $252.83 million to Uganda, to fund the construction of the Laropi-Moyo-Afoji and Katuna-Muko-Kamuganguzi road.

The financial support consists of two loans: $179.68 million from the African Development Bank and $73.15 million from the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional loan window. “The Laropi-Moyo-Afoji/Katuna-Muko-Kamuganguzi road project is intended to improve rural transport connectivity and facilitate regional integration in the districts of Kabale, Rubanda, and Moyo, in Uganda. It will boost incomes, deepen regional integration, and facilitate trade while opening up an alternative transport corridor linking Uganda with South Sudan,”, said Augustine Ngafuan, the African Development Bank’s Country Manager in Uganda.

“Building this infrastructure will enable economic operators along this route to reduce costs and lead times while improving the efficiency of transport logistics,” added Mr. Ngafuan.

In addition to the two main roads, the project will also support the following social complementary initiative: 5 kilometres of roads in small towns and non-motorized traffic facilities (walkways and cycle tracks) within Moyo and Laropi in northwestern Uganda to improve mobility; street lighting to improve the business environment for traders, and regional bus terminus in Moyo.

The project also provides for the construction of market stalls complete with cold storage facilities in Kashasha/Katuna, Moyo and Laropi to support women traders who currently operate on the roadsides, in order to improve earnings from perishable products such as fish and vegetables.

There will also be flood protection works in Laropi to strengthen resilience to the effects of climate change and reduce disruptions to commercial activities. Lastly, a one-stop border post will be constructed in Afoji/Jale on the Uganda-South Sudan border to boost trade and transport activities and facilitate the harmonization customs and coordination of the border-crossing operations and supply chains.

The Laropi-Moyo-Afoji road is located in northwestern Uganda, in the district of Moyo, which has a population of about 140,000. Some 80% of the district’s land is arable and suitable for agriculture and horticulture. The Western Nile sub-region currently hosts more than 500,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan. The road will provide vital access to several refugee camps and support agricultural communities in Kabale and Rubanda districts, with a combined population of about 460,000 inhabitants.

As of November 2023, the African Development Bank Group’s active portfolio in Uganda comprised 23 projects with a total commitment of $1,957 million.

Source:  New Business Ethiopia, 2nd December, 2023

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African countries defend large delegations at COP28

African countries defend large delegations at COP28

African countries defend large delegations at COP28
A handout picture provided by the UAE Presidential Court shows President   –  

Copyright © africanews

ABDULLA AL-BEDWAWI/AFP

COP28

Multiple African governments have justified their decision to send substantial delegations to the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, despite facing widespread criticism.

According to the UN’s attendance list, Nigeria, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, and Uganda were among the nations with the largest teams.

Nigeria topped the list with 1,411 delegates, followed by Morocco with 823 and Kenya with 765. Responding to the criticism, representatives from Nigeria and Kenya clarified that a significant portion of their delegations comprised individuals representing the media, civil society organizations, and private institutions, who were not publicly funded. Both countries also emphasized that some listed delegates were participating remotely.

A statement from an adviser to Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s role as the continent’s largest country and economy, underscoring its substantial stake in climate action due to its extensive extractive economy. According to the statement, the size of the Nigerian delegation reflects the country’s pivotal position.

Kenya’s State House spokesperson, Hussein Mohammed, addressed concerns about the delegate numbers, describing them as “exaggerated.” He clarified that the figures represented those who had registered for the event, not the actual attendees.

Mohammed further stated that the national government had approved only 51 essential delegates, with the remainder sponsored by various groups.

Meanwhile, the Tanzanian government released a statement asserting that over 90% of the country’s delegation was sponsored by the private sector, offering insight into the funding dynamics behind their participation.

As the debate surrounding delegation sizes continues, African nations defend their choices, emphasizing the diverse representation and private sector support within their respective teams.

Source: Africanews, 4th December, 2023

African countries defend large delegations at COP28

African countries defend large delegations at COP28

A handout picture provided by the UAE Presidential Court shows President   –  

Copyright © africanews

ABDULLA AL-BEDWAWI/AFP

COP28

Multiple African governments have justified their decision to send substantial delegations to the COP28 climate conference in Dubai, despite facing widespread criticism.

According to the UN’s attendance list, Nigeria, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, and Uganda were among the nations with the largest teams.

Nigeria topped the list with 1,411 delegates, followed by Morocco with 823 and Kenya with 765. Responding to the criticism, representatives from Nigeria and Kenya clarified that a significant portion of their delegations comprised individuals representing the media, civil society organizations, and private institutions, who were not publicly funded. Both countries also emphasized that some listed delegates were participating remotely.

A statement from an adviser to Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s role as the continent’s largest country and economy, underscoring its substantial stake in climate action due to its extensive extractive economy. According to the statement, the size of the Nigerian delegation reflects the country’s pivotal position.

Kenya’s State House spokesperson, Hussein Mohammed, addressed concerns about the delegate numbers, describing them as “exaggerated.” He clarified that the figures represented those who had registered for the event, not the actual attendees.

Mohammed further stated that the national government had approved only 51 essential delegates, with the remainder sponsored by various groups.

Meanwhile, the Tanzanian government released a statement asserting that over 90% of the country’s delegation was sponsored by the private sector, offering insight into the funding dynamics behind their participation.

As the debate surrounding delegation sizes continues, African nations defend their choices, emphasizing the diverse representation and private sector support within their respective teams.

Source: Africanews, 4th December, 2023

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