06 Mar 2013

Africa is faced with climate change challenges and endangered biodiversity, which are responsible for problems related to food security, health and development.

The director of Department of Environmental Affairs, Mrs Portia Segomelo said at the inaugural commemoration of Africa Environment Day in Gaborone on Monday

 She said the Africa Environment Day was meant to raise awareness on pressing environmental challenges facing the continent by sensitising decision makers at national, regional and continental levels on sustainable environmental management.

The director said some of the biggest environmental challenges facing Africa today included loss of biodiversity, climate change, desertification, deforestation, land degradation, endangered biodiversity and waste management.

Botswana joined other African countries to commemorate the African Environment Day on March 3, which emanated from the decision of the African Unity Council of ministers in their 76th Ordinary session held in South Africa in July 2002.

Mrs Segomelo said in January last year, the AU adopted another decision calling for the joint celebrations of the Africa Environment Day and Prof Wangari Maathai Day, in recognition of the work and life of the late Prof Maathai who dedicated her life to promoting environmental conservation and sustainable development in Africa.

 Botswana was commemorating the day for the first time since the adoption in 2002 under the theme: Poverty Eradication: Maximizing Benefits from the Environment, while the general theme adopted by the AU was: Partnership for Africa’s transition to Green Economy in support of African Renaissance.

Mrs Segomelo said the local theme underscored the intrinsic link between poverty and environment as a large portion of the rural population in the country and made a living out of the environment and in this way the environment sustained their livelihood.

She therefore said there was need to take care of the environment in order for them to continue benefiting from the same.

The director said celebrating Africa Environment Day did not only help in focusing on the unique challenges facing Africa in the areas of sound environmental management and sustainable development, but it also served as a permanent motivation and a beacon of hope for people in the continent to overcome such problems.

She said African countries should intensify work in cohesion and solidarity to preserve and promote their common values and heritage including environment and natural resources as its environmental problems knows no boundaries.

Mrs Segomelo said the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) was a multisectoral initiative focused on achieving economic development and other sectors, such as science and technology and the environment, have been clearly identified.

She said the environmental initiative was driven by an action plan aimed at addressing the region’s environmental challenges to ensure sustainable development and poverty alleviation and seeks to build partnerships and promote cooperation between African countries as well as between Africa and other international groups such as the G8.

The director said the day offered Africa an opportunity as a continent to show-case to the world their achievements in the area of sound environmental management. ENDS