ADDIS ABABA– As president of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN), Ethiopia has expressed urgent concern over increasing land degradation, desertification, and drought in Africa, calling for immediate action to implement international environmental agreements.
Speaking to local media yesterday, Munsur Dessie, Chief Executive of Environment and Climate Change Agreements and Strategic Partnerships at the Ministry of Planning and Development, emphasized Ethiopia’s commitment to pushing the global community toward the full implementation of environmental accords.
Ethiopia received widespread recognition for its unilateral environmental initiatives during the Tenth AMCEN Ministerial Session held earlier this month in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire. However, Munsur stressed that the climate crisis requires not only local efforts but also regional and international cooperation.
Under Ethiopia’s leadership, the Tenth AMCEN Session was held under the theme “Raising Africa’s Ambition to Reduce Land Degradation, Desertification, and Drought.” Munsur underscored Ethiopia’s determination to encourage countries and organizations to implement environmental agreements throughout its AMCEN presidency, which will conclude next year when Ethiopia hands over the responsibility to another country.
The session, led by Ethiopia’s State Minister of Planning and Development, Seyoum Mekonnen, highlighted Africa’s critical need to restore its land resources. According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), approximately 4.4 million hectares of productive land are lost to desertification annually, severely impacting food security for over 68 million people.
UNECA’s latest report also revealed that around 65% of Africa’s land is degraded, affecting more than 400 million people across the continent.
BY YESUF ENDRIS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 19 SEPTEMBER 2024
