Geneva - The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Esmeralda Mendonça on Tuesday in Geneva, Switzerland, highlighted the actions implemented by the Angolan government to mitigate the effects of climate change, which have a negative impact on the country's development.
Speaking on the panel on "The impact of climate change on human mobility," as part of the 14th World Forum on Migration and Development taking place in Geneva, Esmeralda Mendonça highlighted the Cafu Canal as an integrated, large-scale project in the province of Cunene, representing one of the government's responses to the cyclical phenomenon of severe drought that affects people in the south of the country.
According to the head of the Angolan delegation to the event, these initiatives are part of the National Climate Change Strategy (2022 - 2035), aligned with the vision of the African Union's 2063 and the UN's 2030 agendas.
The official added that Angosat-2 launched recently as part of the National Space Program, will contribute and help improve climate monitoring of meteorological phenomena, as well as drawing up anticipatory policies linked to mobility throughout the country and in the southern African region.
For the Angolan diplomat, "the choice of theme for this panel was pertinent and timely for the resumption of the long-awaited World Forum on Migration and Development, shortly after the achievement of another important milestone within the framework of COP 28 and that Angola welcomes France's leadership in organizing this event.
The official pointed out that "climate change and risks increase the pressure on human mobility and should lead states and other partners to reflect on the constraints and opportunities for taking early measures and coordinated actions at all levels to create people-centred adaptation paths, strengthen the resilience of communities and enable adaptive mobility".
During the event, which runs until Thursday at the International Conference Centre in Geneva, the Angolan delegation will take part in a shared session between representatives of governments and the private sector organized by the business mechanism, as well as in the session to award the "Climate Migrant Prize", organized by the Climate Vulnerability Forum, and in two round tables on environmental migration.
Created in 2007, the Global Forum on Migration and Development is a state-led, informal and non-binding process that helps shape the global debate on migration and development.
The event allow member states, in partnership with civil society, the private sector, local and regional governments, young people, the UN system and other relevant stakeholders, to analyze and discuss sensitive issues, build consensus, present innovative solutions and share policies and good practices on migration and development processes.
The forum is based on six axes, namely the impact of climate change on human mobility, rights and migration, Diasporas as actors in the economic, social and cultural development of territories, labor migration, improving the place of migration in collective mentalities, and multi-level governance.
The event provides a space for flexible, multilateral dialogue where governments can discuss the multidimensional aspects, opportunities and challenges related to migration, development and the link between these two areas. MCN/TED/AMP
