From Dare Akogun, Egypt
The Minister of Environment, Barr. Mohammed Abdullahi has expressed high optimism that the expectations of Nigeria and Africa at COP 27 will be achieved as issues that are of concern to them are already in the front burner of agenda for discussions.
Speaking on the expectations of Nigeria at conference dubbed Africa and action COP, the Minister of Environment who is also the head of Nigeria’s delegation stated that amongst other issues Nigeria will push for the implementation of the loss and damage issues
According to him, “We are focused on ensuring that we bring the issue of loss and damage to the fore and we are already making progress in this regards.
“During the Pre-Cop engagement the COP 27 President, Sameh Shoukry highlighted flood related issue with particular reference to Nigeria and Pakistan amongst other nations as one of the key issue on the agenda for discussion, already the issues of flood is linked to loss and damage and that is of priority to us as a nation, he said.
Speaking further, the Minister added that the Nigeria delegation will also focus on the African carbon market initiative as it try to kick start the framework for carbon trading.
He added that similar attention will also be giving to the debt for climate swap aimed at calling the attention of developed countries on the impact of their industrialisation on the developing countries and the need for them to mitigate the impact on the continent of Africa and Nigeria in particular.
“In addition, Nigeria as the leader of the PAN African Agency for the Great Green Wall will focus on climate finance to support its activities in the Sahel Region particularly in the most endemic Northern states described as the front line states where there is fast approaching desert encroachment and of course wetland drying up, these and others are huge issues that we will be focusing on” Abdullahi affirmed.
Speaking on unfulfilled promises made to the developing countries by the developed countries during past COPs the Minister stated that Nigeria will not take a know it all approach but will align its position with the African agenda that was agreed at Dakar meeting.
“Part of what we will do is to galvanise the action plan for Africa to push for a positive climate funding action from the developed countries.
“African countries and developing countries indeed understand that funding is important in whatever position COP 27 will take,” he posited.
As the leader of Nigeria delegation and representative of President Muhammadu Buhari to COP 27, the Minister speaking on his plan to interface and engage with private sector and investor that could support the energy transition plan of Nigeria stated that a number of bilateral meetings and engagement has been arranged to discuss funding from development partners and the private sector.
He added that what he intend to do is to capitalise on the GGW accelerator which is a window for financing the activities of the Great Green Wall member states.
Towards these ends, a side meeting has been arranged with the sustainable energy for all donors that focus on climate finance particularly carbon trading, “we are also working with Nigerian private enterprise amongst other development partners.”
Furthermore, the Minister assured Nigerians that he and his team of negotiator will return to the country with a strong, dependable and bankable commitment from the development partners.
