Kagame was speaking yesterday in Congo Brazzaville in the Heads of State and Government Summit on the operationalization of the Congo Basin Climate Commission and the Blue Fund for the Congo Basin.
The Congo Basin Climate Commission and the Congo Basin Blue Fund was established following the signing of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change two years ago.
Kagame said that the Paris Agreement was a remarkable demonstration of global commitment to building a more sustainable future.
The Head of State said that while efforts continue to reach universal ratification and translate the Agreement into action, global warming continues to adversely and disproportionately affect many countries.
“The prosperity we seek for our continent requires that we go the extra step to mitigate climate change and develop our economies more sustainably,” he said.
He said that there is no better reason to support, and actively participate in the Congo Basin Climate Commission and the Blue Fund for the Congo Basin.
Kagame said that Preserving the waters and forests of the Congo Basin is essential for sustainable development not only in Africa but other parts of the world as well.
“The water resources of the Congo Basin connect our countries and support the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people. This makes us interdependent on many levels,” he said.
“We must therefore cooperate more in managing these shared resources, in order to safeguard food security, public health and economic opportunities. These are critical factors in achieving both the Sustainable Development Goals and Africa’s Agenda 2063,” he urged the Heads of States.
Given what is at stake, Kagame said that the benefits envisioned in the Congo Basin cooperation initiative far outweigh the costs of setting up the fund.
“Let’s not waste any more time, in this important work but to unlock Africa’s full socio-economic potential,” he urged.
At the summit, the Heads of States also signed the protocol establishing the Congo Basin Climate Commission.
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