TANZANIA will attend a 12-day global UN-sponsored symposium that starts in Madrid, Spain, on December 2. The symposium will discuss threats and hazards the earth faces as a result of climate change.
It is organised under the umbrella of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
Tanzania’s attendance was confirmed by Minister of State in the Vice-President’s Office (Union and Environment) George Simbachawene at the weekend after meeting European Union (EU) Ambassador to Tanzania Manfredo Fanti. The latter extended an invitation to Tanzania, according to the minister.
Mr Fanti called on the minister in his Dar es Salaam office as part of procedural consultations related to cooperation between Tanzania and the EU.
Mr Simbachawene noted that Tanzania attached great importance to the Madrid meeting because the impact of climate change and its unpredictability were consistently and increasingly felt in Tanzania.
“The risks associated with climate change are already evident in various economic sectors essential for Tanzania’s livelihoods and sustenance, including water, energy, agriculture and food security, livestock, infrastructure, human settlements, human health and ecosystems.
In most vulnerable communities, the impact of climate change poses a direct threat to people’s survival,” the minister said.
Mr Simbachawene explained that Tanzania admired the EU as an important development partner who had supported Tanzania in good governance, alternative energy and sustainable agriculture and with a special focus on climate change.
The minister told Mr Fanti that Tanzania was thankful to the EU for its support in environmental management. “We would like to thank you particularly for the support extended through the Global Climate Change Alliance Programme (GCCA) implemented through the Ministry of Finance and Planning.”
Talks between the two parties on continued cooperation were on final stages, the minister said, and would cover seven years starting 2021.
He named major areas of cooperation Tanzania would like to focus on as effects of climate change, waste management, addressing land degradation, focusing on tree planting, blue economy and biodiversity conservation by addressing invasive alien species.
Mr Fanti said the world had no alternative, but unite and face squarely the effects of climate change, explaining that no one would remain safe and protected from the effects of climate change.
He said Tanzania deserved to be congratulated on various steps it was taking to address and mitigate the effects of climate change.
