The Edward Francis Small Centre hereby expresses its deep concerns about the participation of the Gambia at the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) currently taking place in the city of Baku, Azerbaijan from 11 – 22 November 2024. The COP is an annual summit that brings together world leaders including their technical experts to address issues of climate change.
Our concern is informed by the appalling situation of our national environment and the poor approach of the Gambia Government to the issue of climate change which leaves much to be desired.
In the first place, we have noted with grave disappointment that the President of the Republic has failed to take part not only at the COP29 opening ceremony on November 11, but also the Gambia failed to participate in the ‘World Leaders Climate Action Summit’ which runs from 12 – 13 November. This summit is for heads of governments to attend. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the summit
“Signifies the importance for World Leaders to engage and enhance ambition and enable action to reduce emissions, adapt to climate change, and address loss and damage, to implement and transform key climate related decisions into concrete actions and credible plans to tackle climate change.”
The Government had initially said on November 11 that the Vice President would lead the Gambian delegation to the conference. Apparently, the Vice President never travelled to Baku up to now. This means the Gambia has failed to participate in this most important engagement at the appropriate level where world leaders discuss and deliver on their nation’s commitments to climate change.
We are also hugely concerned that the Gambia has no pavilion or delegation office at the COP29 venue. This is indeed concerning as it means the country has no base at the conference from where to conduct its activities and showcase the Gambia. It raises the question therefore why were so many officials sent to the conference if there is no delegation office for them? We also find the number of delegates unjustifiably too many which needs transparency as to what role each of them has to play in the conference.
Furthermore, we are concerned about the participation of the Minister of Environment, Climate Change & Natural Resources (MECCNAR), Rohey John Manjang given her poor leadership and the poor performance of her ministry in preserving and protecting the environment and addressing climate change. The environment in the Gambia is under massive pressure primarily because the Government allows the de-reservation and de-gazetting of forests. The incidence of illegal and uncontrolled encroachments on wetlands, beaches, and forest parks by private businesses, public institutions, and individuals have become so alarming that even the Ministry of Regional Governments and Lands had to take steps to confront the situation unabated. This deplorable situation begs the question as to what has MECCNAR been doing?
Under the watch of MECCNAR, the Gambia is fast losing its forest cover while the incidence of pollution of our lands and waters and indiscriminate dumping in forest parks have become rampant precisely because MECCNAR and its agencies fail to enforce existing laws, policies and regulations to protect the environment.
Equally concerning is the issue of climate change financing. We have noted that over the past 10 years alone, the Gambia has received hundreds of millions of dollars in climate change financing from various donor partners such as the World Bank, UN GEF Trust Fund, IFAD, UNEP, African Development Bank, and the Green Climate Fund among others. However, there has been little to no transparency about these funds while the impact of these funds is hardly felt in the country. Rather Gambian farmers continue to suffer the ravages of climate change without support, while coastal erosion and floods continue to worsen every year as the country continues to also lose its flora and fauna without control.,
We found the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Natural Resources to be inefficient hence incapable of addressing the challenges facing our environment and climate change issues. Evidence of the Ministry’s ineffectiveness can be found in its inability to complete the construction of its head office at Abuko Nature Reserve.
Considering the foregoing, Edward Francis Small Centre, hereby calls on the National Assembly to,
1. Hold the Minister of Environment, Climate Change & Natural Resources accountable for the poor performance of her ministry in protecting the environment,
2. Demand full disclosure or transparency on climate financing that have been received by the Gambia, and account for their impact on the country.
3. Investigate the construction of the ministry’s head office in Abuko.
4. Hold the Government accountable for the failure of the President and Vice President in attending the World Leaders Climate Action Summit in Baku.
5. Hold the Minister accountable for the failure of the Gambia for not having a pavilion at COP29.
Similarly, we wish to call on the civil society, political parties, media and indeed all Gambians to exercise more interest and commitment to the management of the environment and climate change issues in the country. That is, to ensure that there is more effective monitoring of the Ministry and its agencies to ensure that they are effectively and efficiently performing their functions as per the law.
We will follow up this public statement with a submission of a formal letter of concern to the Chair of the National Assembly Committee responsible for the environment.
In the Spirit of Edward Francis Small, For the Gambia, Homeland
Madi Jobarteh,
CEO
