Mr. Neil Pratt with Dr. Samuel Dotse during the visit
The International Society of Diplomats’ Africa Special Envoy on Climate Change, Dr. Samuel Dotse, has paid a courtesy call to the Secretariat of Biological Diversity in Montreal, Canada.
The courtesy call was to engage the Secretariat on key issues affecting Africa’s natural resources, explore areas of collaboration and partnership to bring technical and financial means that would enhance the well-being of African people, including women and youth.
In his remarks, Dr. Dotse commended the Secretariat, particularly Mr. Neil Pratt, Senior Environmental Affairs Officer, and Ms. Veronique Allan, Team Assistant in Science, Society, and Sustainable Division for the work done to ensure the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework was adopted during the fifteenth meeting of the Conference of Parties held from December 7–19, 2022, in Montreal, Canada.
He also applauded them on the establishment of the Global Biodiversity Fund.
The African Special Envoy on Climate Change highlighted that the conventions on biological diversity and climate change had a collective goal to take action to protect the natural resources that human beings depended on for their survival.
Africa suffers from the devastating impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss and has clearly recognised the need for urgent and rapid action.
“The time has come to transform economic systems and human behaviour,” he added.
He admitted that the newly adopted framework will set the global biodiversity action agenda for the next decade and provide a programming framework for Africa to restore degraded lands and ecosystems, halt biodiversity loss, and boost resilience in the coming years.
Dr. Dotse proposed that the consideration of the International Society of Diplomats (ISD), especially the Office of the African Special Envoy on Climate Change, as partners, including supporting African governments to mainstream biodiversity into government and business decision-making.
“Signing a cooperation agreement with the Secretariat covering areas of collaboration and interventions for cities, the private sector, and third-party organisations will be deeply appreciated,” he stated.
Ms. Veronique Allan expressed her appreciation to the Africa Special Envoy on Climate Change for the courtesy call and commended the ISD’s willingness to partner with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity in halting biodiversity loss.
She supported the idea of collaboration between the private sector and cities and assured that the Secretariat would provide feedback to the ISD office in Toronto on the work of the Secretariat.
In conclusion, Mr. Neil Pratt congratulated the ISD for the initiative to partner with the Convention on Biological Diversity and looks forward to a regular interaction towards addressing biodiversity loss and climate change.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri