Kibaki to Addis

President Mwai Kibaki has Monday traveled to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for a two day official visit.

President Kibaki is leading a Kenyan delegation to the African Union (AU) Summit of the committee of Ten Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC).

The Addis Ababa Summit whose theme is "Towards an African Common Political Position on Climate change" will decide on Africa's common presentation to the world climate change Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark next month.

The Plane carrying the President and his delegation departed Jomo Kenyatta International Airport shortly after 2.00 pm. and was seen off by the Head of Public Service Amb. Francis Muthaura, Chief of General Staff Gen. Jeremiah Kianga and police commissioner Mathew Iteere among other senior government officials.

The African Leaders want to lobby for industrialized countries such as the U.S. and Britain that released most of the emissions to compensate developing nations for climate damage they caused in recent decades.

During the Addis Ababa Summit, the leaders will also strategize on pressing the developed world to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 40 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels to avert the worst effects of climate change.

Among the speakers in the Summit are the host who is the CAHOSCC Coordinator Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, President Kibaki and the AU Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture Mrs. Tumusiime Rhoda Peace.

Kenya is among African countries that have suffered prolonged drought and periodic floods which could be linked to climate change that affect millions of subsistence farmers.