President Muhammadu Buhari has again blamed the impact of climate change for rising insurgency and armed conflict in Nigeria and the rest of the African continent.
Buhari said this while participating in a virtual High -Level Leaders Dialogue on The Africa COVID-19 Climate Emergency.
The Dialogue was organised by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Global Centre for Adaptation (GCA) and the United Nations (UN) with the theme “Leaders’ Dialogue on the Africa COVID-Climate Emergency,” attended by the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Gutierrez.
He pointed out that the situation in the Lake Chad Basin is an example of the risks and effects associated with climate change.
Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, called for strategies to that will help the continent recover from the impact of climate change and covid-19.
He therefore commended the initiatives of the African Development Bank and the Global Centre for Adaptation; stressing the importance of the launch of the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme (AAAP) as an initiative to address regional adaptation gaps and support the transition of countries to low carbon development pathways.
“These strategies are to ensure that Africa’s recovery from the combined effects of COVID-19 and climate change are holistic, resilient, harmonious and reflective of the peculiarities and priorities of our continent. International support in this regard is essential to guarantee that no part of the world is left behind in the global recovery effort.
“Being one of the most vulnerable nations Nigeria would not hesitate to leverage this programme to forestall the exacerbating impact of climate change.
“Nowhere are the adverse impacts of climate change felt than in Africa, where millions of smallholder farmers rely upon their land for their lives and livelihoods. Multiple systemic shocks are now threatening African communities at the same time: we have a health crisis, a food security crisis and an economic crisis, all compounded by the climate crisis.
“The combination of COVID-19 and climate impacts have severely devastated our economies. Countries around the world have collectively allocated over $20 trillion in COVID stimulus packages, thereby reducing the resources available to combat climate change. Climate change cannot wait while we address COVID-19. They must be addressed together,” the President said
