Ministers from Eastern and Central African blocs meet today in Republic of Congo capital Brazzaville to chart a common position on the COP 23 in November in Bonn, Germany.

COP 23 is the latest of the series of meetings of Conference of Parties that are signatory to the Kyoto Protocol, an international treaty through which that member states commit to reduce greenhouse gas emission.

The ministers expected to meet today in the Republic of Congo capital of Brazzaville are from the East African Community (EAC) and the Economic Community for Central African States (ECCAS).

Rwanda subscribes to both blocs.

The central focus of the meet is the acceleration of the operationalisation of the climate commission for the Congo Basin.

Also on agenda is developing a strategy on how to speed up the operationalisation of the Congo Basin Commission of which the Blue Fund of the Congo Basin, the Green Business Fund and other initiatives created to ensure economic development within the region do not compromise environment conservation.

The Blue Fund for the Congo Basin was ratified by 12 countries, including Rwanda, that heads the Commission of Central African Forests.

Finding common ground

The ministerial meeting was preceded yesterday by one for experts from the two blocs. Rwanda is represented by Dr Jean Baptiste Habyalimana, the ambassador to the Republic of Congo.

The EAC Principal Environment and Natural Resource Officer, Eng. Ladislaus K. Leonidas, said that the conference is an opportunity for the two blocs to share experience.

"ECCAS and EAC have to come together to address climate change in one voice, on how to mobilise resources. I don’t think we have a difference as Africa on COP 23, we have a common position as Africa.

"So we are here to elaborate on the issues we think are for the region and we know the issues with the Congo Basin and the forest are very important,” he said.

While opening the experts meeting on Wednesday, Congolese minister for tourism and environment, Arlette Sudan-Nonault,  said the experts’ meeting will help the blocs identify the concrete actions to be taken to operationaliase the three tools in accordance with Africa’s determination to implement the numerous existing policies, in particular the Paris Agreement and the Marackech Declaration in favour of actions and solutions that combine the fight against climate change and the sustainable economic development of participating countries.

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