African Youth message to COP27 Presidency, African Union Member States Towards Enhancing Greater Accountability for Climate Action

Kigali, Rwanda 23 June 2022: At the invitation of the Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance and partners, young African climate leaders met at Club House La Palisse in Nyamata, Rwanda, from the 22 to 23 June 2022 for an African Youth Conference on Climate Justice.
The conference aimed to mobilize young leaders, both male and female from across Africa to level their understanding of issues at stake in climate change negotiations and their implications on young people of the continent, build consensus on priorities for young people from Africa based on their realities and delineate key demands for ambitious and urgent action on climate change. The conference tracked all key decisions and commitments made during and after the 26th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNCCC) and further discussed in details the emerging decisions from the just concluded discussions in SB56 in Bonn.
The convening further assessed the aspirations of the existing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in advancing priorities for young people, their status of implementation and whether they are ambitious enough to achieve the 1.5 Degree Celsius set by the Paris Agreement. In addition, they assessed whether there is sufficient tracking mechanisms in place. The convening did an introspection on efforts being put in place on response and resilience building in Africa and their implications on young people and how these are reinforced by global Climate Financing under UNFCCC. It undertook a deep assessment on the prevailing vulnerability of Africa and its people to climate change and the losses and damages currently experienced across the continent as a result of climate triggered emergencies.
Based on the reflections from the conference, young people participating in the conference issued the following statement..

1. Click here to read the communique to African Union

2.Click here for the Message to the COP27 Presidency

3. Click here to download the French Version for AU Communique

4. Click here to download the French Version of the COP 27 Presidency