President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera arrived in the Egyptian resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh last weekend for the 27th edition of the Conference of Parties World Leaders’ Summit on Climate Change (COP27).
Since his arrival in Egypt, the Malawi leader has had a tight schedule attending various conference, holding bilateral meetings, giving keynote speeches and signing deals, all related to climate change mitigation, adaptation and financing.
In his remarks when he addressed World Leaders Climate Change Summit, President Chakwera called upon rich nations to take huge responsibility because they are the ones who emit more carbon gases than the rest of the world.
The President said the key to addressing climate change is sustainable development and restoring balance to the relationship with nature, but this can be achieved if countries act in solidarity.
He said the benchmarks for climate mitigation, adaptation, and financing for developed nations cannot be the same as for Least Developed Countries, hence the need for fairness.
On the pledges made in previous meetings, Dr Chakwera said it is necessary to act with speed, courage, urgency and solidarity to win the battle against climate change.
What came out clearly from other African leaders who spoke during the summit including South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and others is that countries are facing increasing prices of goods and services as well as food shortages orchestrated by the effects of climate change.
SADC economies have continued to intensify calls for more concerted efforts for smooth transition to renewable energy sources.
The regional leaders made their intentions known at a High-Level event hosted by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan at COP27 in Egypt on Powering the Southern African Power Pool with Renewables.
In his speech, President Dr Lazarus Chakwera said his government will continue to work with Mozambique for the interconnector to be inaugurated in December 2023.
He said with Tanzania, the government will also collaborate to boost power generation in agreement with Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP).
Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi, Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said countries should work together to end the 6,000 megawatts power deficit in SADC region by turning to renewable energy as opposed to fossil fuels.