AYV News, September 6, 2023
Her Excellency the First Lady of Sierra Leone Dr. Fatima Maada Bio has told delegates at the Africa Climate Change Summit that education is a key solution in the fight against Climate Change in Africa.
The Summit is being held in Nairobi, Kenya from 4th to 6th September 2023.
Her Excellency the First Lady was speaking during a panel discussion that was opened by the First Lady of Kenya Her Excellency Mrs. Rachel Ruto, on the topic “The Big Opportunity, Education and Skills Development for a Climate Change-Adapted and Green Economy”.
The First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio gave a backdrop of how the President of Sierra Leone, H.E. Dr. Julius Maada Bio, believes that in whatever solution you seek for your people, you must ensure that they are educated as without Education, it will be difficult to achieve your goals.
First Lady Maada Bio then posited that: “Educating your people on the importance, challenges and effects of climate change will enable them to know how to fight it”.
Dr. Fatima Maada Bio said deploying Modern Technology is now proven to be quite effective in fighting climate change but that technology is a tool which can only be utilised if your population is educated enough to know how to access and operate technological solutions.
As African leaders, she said, it is imperative on them to constantly engage their people on climate change as it is already significantly affecting African Nations.
The Sierra Leone First Lady said that the fight against climate change is not a one man show but it should be a collective effort that warrants the attention of all; especially Africans.
First Lady Fatima Maada Bio who is a member of the United Nations Advisory Board of Eminent Persons on Zero Waste, asserted that: “Gone are the days when we see climate change as a problem out in the West. It is now our problem as Africans so we must deal with it collectively and we must start now!”
She elaborated extensively around the topic, skillfully addressing each component of The Big Opportunity, Education, Skills, Green Workforce, African-Led Education Solution and finally, “Catalysing a high Ambition Coalition”.
Dr. Fatima Maada Bio furthered that Africa as a continent with the youngest and fastest growing population and with abundant natural capital, is well positioned to lead a re-thinking of the skills needed for a green transformation of how humans occupy the World.
“We need to adapt to and mitigate climate change, create resilient and more sustainable economies and quite importantly, we have to create opportunities to ensure Africa youth have the skills and the education they need to help drive the global transformation,” First Lady Maada Bio eloquently delivered.
“We must improve facilities at our education and training institutions to ensure our youth reach their fullest potentials. Then society, at all levels, can address the triple imperatives of climate adaptation, mitigation and economic transformation,” First Lady Fatima suggested in her remarks.
Seated with Sierra Leone First Lady Fatima Maada Bio to explore the Climate Change issues were distinguished personalities in persons of:
* Hon. Ezekiel Machogu, Kenya’s Cabinet Secretary for Education;
* Dr. Mafalda Duarte, Executive Director of the Green Climate Fund which is the world’s largest multilateral climate fund;
* Dr. Hanan Morsy, the Chief Economist & Deputy Executive Secretary at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa;
* Ingrid-Gabriela Hoven, Managing Director of GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft International Zusammenarbeit) the leading German development agency;
* Ms. Chido Cleopatra Mpemba, Special Youth Envoy, Africa Union Commission;
* Ndungu Kahihu, the Executive Director of CAP Youth Empowerment Institute, a leading organisation that has provided skills training plus support to vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised youth for well over a decade now.
On opening the high-level Session, Kenya’s First Lady Rachel Ruto had encouraged the esteemed Panelists to speak on the topics extensively so as to come out with a comprehensive road map in tackling climate change in Africa.
Indeed the Panelists lived up to expectations. The discussions were honest, robust, well-researched and deeply appreciated as shown with the loud applause from delegates for the esteemed Panelists.
