African Civil Societies conferred ahead of the 19th regular African Ministerial conference on the Environment (AMCEN).
August 13, 2023
Addis Ababa.
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African Civil Societies conference on environment was held at Addis Ababa ahead of the 19th regular conference of environment Ministers to be held from 14 – 18, 2023 at Addis Ababa.
The purpose of the conference was mentioned to jointly use opportunities to provide alternative solutions to environmental challenges at the African level, to discuss common continental environmental policies matters to be implemented and to establish a strong continental cooperation that will help to provide solutions to environmental challenges like Biodiversity depletion; Environmental pollution; waste management and the reduction of soil fertility among others.
Civic society associations and their stakeholders had held detailed discussions on the role it play in overcoming the challenges.
Mrs. Rose Mwembaza, the representative of Africa in the United Nations Environment Programme, said during the opening of the conference, "Since Africa is faced with various complex environmental problems, the Council will work together with various civic institutions to provide immediate solutions to environmental problems using the technologies produced by the times and involving young scholars."
Dr. Getahun Garedew, Director General of the Ethiopian Environmental Protection Authority, who spoke on behalf of Ethiopia at the forum, said in his part that "Ethiopia has designed and implemented legal frameworks, policies and strategies and implementation programs to help tackle and deal with environmental challenges, realizing that environmental and climate change challenges have a negative impact on the wider environment and the society.
Dr. Getahun further extended in his remarks that "Ethiopia has designed and implemented a green development strategy that brings tangible changes,". A number of consultation agendas were presented at the conference, which were mentioned to reduce environmental problems through joint and separate discussions.