COP22 will massively project Africa’s view – Jibril

The Minister of State for Environment, Ibrahim Usman Jibril, has said United Nations Climate Change Conference, Marrakech COP 22, coming up in November 2016, will be one that Africa’s voice should be heard loud and clear.
Speaking at the official inauguration of a 10-man preparatory planning committee, the minister said: “This is the COP that will massively project our view and insist that we must be heard and not only to be heard but that something should be done after that.”
Jibril said that the committee, which would be chaired by the permenent secretary of the ministry, Bukar Hassan, was meant to ensure Nigeria’s effective preparation for participation at the Marrakech conference.
The COP 22, he said, would focus on vital issues including elaboration of technical framework under Article 10 of the Paris Agreement, which Nigeria signed, and issues of vulnerability and adoption of climate change, land use, land use change and forestry, amongst others.  
“This is very strategic particularly that Nigeria is one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change impacts and has large percentage of its population solely dependent on proceeds from the sales of crude oil (a major source of greenhouse gas emission),” he said.  He stressed the need to effectively participate at the COP22 to safeguard the interest of the country.
The committee was expected to, aside coordinating preparation for COP 22, develop and implement a work plan with timelines for activities to be undertaken and articulate and developing the country’s negotiating position.
The committee would also assemble and train technical team of negotiators for the country, develop stakeholders’ inclusive programme and ensure participation of corporate Nigeria and secure delegation office, exhibition stand and plan.
While urging members of the committee to see the task as clarion call to the service of the nation, the minister said: “Your preparation and activities that you are going to do will be key determinants of success of our attendance. Nigeria is always a high flier, whenever there is a delegation from Nigeria in any international event, you will discover that attention is focused on Nigeria.
“We cannot afford to go there without any proper preparation and I believe you have what it takes to do that preparation for us and to ensure that this outing is the best.”