Tanzanian President calls on world leaders to fulfill climate commitments

Addis Ababa, December 1, 2023 (FBC) – In her remarks at COP 28, Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of the United Republic of Tanzania called on world leaders to fulfill their climate commitments.

“In Copenhagen we committed 100 billion annually for climate action, though far less than required, it is still not forthcoming. In Paris, we resolved to keep warming below 1 .5 degrees Celsius,” she paraphrased.

The President said: “The current rate of warming is alarming. Unfulfilled commitments erode solidarity and trust, and have detrimental and costly consequences for developing countries. My own country is losing 2 -3% of its GDP due to climate change. The clock is ticking.”

This year’s IPCC report cautioned that adaptation options that are visible and effective today will become constrained and less effective with increasing global warming, President Samia noted.

Putting in place the global goal on adaptation framework is a matter of urgency and not a choice. We must match our intent with our actions and we must act now, she remarked.

“On our part to the United Republic of Tanzania, despite of our minimum emission contribution, we are doing our part. At this COP28, we seek to mobilize support for increased use of clean and affordable cooking fuels and technologies across Africa, especially for women,”

“Our call is for all of us to play our part. Honoring our commitments and advancing the pace of climate action is a solution to this scourge. As we seek to unite, act and deliver here in Dubai, we must deliver on climate finance.”

She further called on developed countries to make the loss and damage fund be accessible for developing countries, and demanded transparency be the way of operation.