UNDP wants strategic partnerships to address climate change effects in Republic of Congo

BRAZZAVILLE, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Wednesday appealed for strategic partnership with all other active organizations in the Republic of Congo to sustainably address the challenges of climate change.

The appeal was made by the resident UNDP representative in Congo Lamin Manneh, in a speech delivered during the inaugural session of the National Committee on Climate Change (CNCC) in Brazzaville.

"There's need to put in place appropriate instruments for fighting against climate change," he said.

The Republic of Congo has signed three United Nations Conventions touching on biodiversity, climate change and desertification. Since then, several initiatives have been taken to ensure the respect of the conventions that had been ratified and also to create conditions that will facilitate their implementation in the Republic of Congo.

While acknowledging the Congolese government's political will in the area of climate change since the adoption of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Manneh said that the commitment on the climate change programs by institutions and NGOs should not just be limited to the policy level alone.

He regretted that in the Republic of Congo, just like in other developing nations, programs touching on climate change are always funded by external partners, who are not reliable at certain times.

The UN official therefore hailed the move by the Congolese government to create the National Committee on Climate Change (CNCC), in order to improve coordination of activities concerning climate change.

He promised that the UNDP will support CNCC to address the challenge of shortage of funds.

"I also want to appreciate the government's efforts, especially Forestry Minister Henri Djombo and also to assure him of our support to set up a unit to coordinate activities of the Congolese National Committee on Climate Change," Manneh said. Enditem