CLIMATE CHANGE

Mwai Kibaki has urged African leaders to unite in pushing for the continent's agenda in the forthcoming global Climate Change conference scheduled for Copenhagen.

Speaking Thursday at State House Nairobi where he received a copy of the declaration of the just concluded 2nd African Parliamentarians' Summit on Climate Change, President Kibaki emphasized the need for Africa to speak with one voice on Climate Change issues.

The declaration was presented to President Kibaki by the President of the Permanent Executive Committee of the Pan African Parliamentarians' Network on Climate Change Mr. Cyprian Awudu, from Cameroon , who led the delegation of African parliamentarians.

The President said Africa should come out strongly in ensuring that its concerns on Climate Change are addressed as it bore the brunt of the negative effects of Climate Change.

"We have to speak with one voice on Climate Change because the rest of the World should be made to understand what we want," President Kibaki said.

Responding to the delegation's requests, the Head of State assured them that he would communicate the resolutions of the 2nd African Parliamentarians' Summit on Climate Change to all African leaders.

President Kibaki also appealed to African countries not to allow themselves to be manipulated and driven away from their agreed stand on Climate Change by developed countries during the Copenhagen Conference.

"There is need to stand firm in ensuring that this declaration is adopted in Copenhagen . The spirit of the Nairobi summit should be kept alive in all future climatic global meetings," President Kibaki said.

The President said the declaration, which advocates for the protection of African countries against the negative effects of Climate Change, should be translated in many languages so that it can be read and understood across Africa .







Speaking during the meeting, the President of the Permanent Executive Committee of the Pan African Parliamentarians' Network on Climate Change thanked President Kibaki for providing direction during the deliberations at the Climate Change Summit when he opened it.

Awudu also thanked the President and his Government for hosting the summit which succeeded in coming up with the continent's common position on Climate Change.

Other Speakers included Environment Minister John Michuki and National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende.

The delegation of African Parliamentarians included legislators from Kenya , Zimbabwe , Cameroon , Namibia , Togo and Uganda .