African Countries Need Water Profile To Tackle Climate Change: AMCOW

African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) has called on African leaders to raise the profile of water as it serves as a catalyst and mitigation measure in the fight against climate change.

The call was made by the Executive Secretary African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW), Dr. Rashid Mbzira at a multi-stakeholder dialogue on Unpacking COP28 outcome tagged: Accelerating Nigeria’s Climate Action organized in by Climate and Sustainable Development Network (CSDevNet), and the Pan Africa Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) in Abuja, Nigeria.

Represented by Senior Policy Officer – Governance and Partnerships, Dr Azzika Tank , the Executive Secretary urged the Nigerian Government and CSDevNet to put in place mechanisms in readiness towards accessing the Loss and Damage Fund for the benefit of the most affected by climate change.

He said the dialogue is happening at a time Africa is being devastated by climate change from across all the five sub-regions at the midpoint of the 2030 Development Agenda which calls for an urgent need to build resilient African society against climate change.

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Dr. Mbzira said the 2018-2030 Strategy of AMCOW has water security, safely managed sanitation, water governance, and climate resilience as its major priorities. It is in the light of this that we are here to support this dialogue on Unpacking COP28.

‘I call for an urgent need to revitalize efforts to raise the profile of water to combat climate change to release the socio-economic development potential of Africa’s water resources in line with the African Union Agenda 2063, especially aspiration one on inclusive growth and sustainable development.

“We also call upon the Government to prioritise climate resilient financing especially for the vulnerable and the most impacted due to loss and damages from climate change.

“We also need to take steps to strengthen the policy enabling environment for accelerated action on climate resilient water management. Inclusive policies, institutional arrangements, regulations, and financing constitute the policy environment that contributes to the delivery of sustainable water and sanitation services”, He stressed.

Highlighting the importance of Water, the Executive Secretary said the success in assuring water security is a key influencing factor on the performance of all the other sectors of the economy.

‘This also has the potential to reduce conflicts as well as improve food availability and to help us reverse the menace of climate change. Water, sanitation and hygiene are both catalyst and solutions to climate change.’

He however said this essential common good is being affected by climate change.

According to the 2023 Report on Implementing the July 2008 Sharm elSheikh Declaration (Assembly/AU/ Decl.1 (XI)) indicates that the Africa continent are off-track towards achieving the agreed goals on water and sanitation partly due to climate change.

For this reason , He disclosed that the AMCOW developed the African Sanitation Policy Guidelines (ASPGs) to strengthen the sanitation and hygiene policy environment and also called for support in the implementation.

“We call on you to support the Federal Government to utilize the ASPGs to enhance our progress in achieving safely managed sanitation and related SDG targets in this era of climate change. Our fight against climate change cannot be won until we strengthen the capacities of national-level data systems and mechanisms for reporting to our Heads of States and Governments. We need to address existing water and sanitation as well as climate change“the Executive Secretary urged

Dr. Mbzira emphasized that the fight against climate change cannot be won until Africa strengthen the capacities of national-level data systems and mechanisms for reporting to our Heads of States and Governments.

“We need to address existing water and sanitation as well as climate change data quality challenges on the continent for the purpose of national development planning.

 

“Given this AMCOW is operationalizing the Africa Water and Sanitation sector reporting system known as the WASSMO system.This is a continental clearinghouse for Member States’ including the Federal Republic of Nigeria to meet reporting obligations at the continental and global level.

 

“The support of CSDevNet and PACJA in strengthening national level data reporting systems in Nigeria and other Member States is therefore crucial, He stressed.

He identified partnership, networking and collaboration as key to place water at the centre of the fight against climate change.

“We also called on the CSOs to support the Government of Nigeria in the utilization of the ASPGs to strengthen the policy environment for resilient WASH services delivery. I also urge us all to facilitate action as civil society organizations to raise the profile of water as mitigation measure for Africa’s effort in adaptation to climate change and water related disasters” He added.

The Vision of AMCOW is an Africa where there is equitable and sustainable use and management of water resources for poverty alleviation, socio-economic development, regional co-operation and the environment.

The Mission of AMCOW is to provide Political leadership, policy direction and advocacy in the provision, use and management of water resources for sustainable social and economic development and maintenance of African ecosystems.

 

 

 

Oyenike Oyeniyi