By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
The Climate Commission for
the Sahel Region (CCRS) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) are
working towards strengthening their collaboration to protect children from the
effects of climate change and improve their resilience across the Sahel.
The proposed partnership was
discussed during a meeting between the Executive Secretary of the CCRS, Issifi
Boureima, and Gernot Laganda, Director of the Global Climate and Environment
Practice at UNICEF’s Global Programs Division, on the sidelines of the 31st
United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye.
The discussions focused on
transitioning the existing collaboration between UNICEF and the CCRS to the
regional level, building on work driven by UNICEF’s Representation in Niger.
Boureima said the
collaboration aims to strengthen the protection and resilience of children to
the effects of climate change in the Sahel, where they are among the first
populations at risk.
Both parties agreed on the
desirability of establishing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), supported by
a roadmap of priority actions, ahead of COP32 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The proposed collaboration
is expected to promote greater consideration of child protection and adaptation
in the climate policies of CCRS member states, particularly their Nationally
Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).
The initiative seeks to
ensure that the specific vulnerabilities of children are better reflected in
regional and national climate policies, while strengthening adaptation measures
to address the growing effects of climate change on communities across the
Sahel.
Boureima expressed
appreciation to UNICEF for its continued commitment alongside the CCRS,
describing the partnership as an important contribution towards building a more
resilient Sahel and securing a better future for children in the region.
