Story by Josephine Mugiyo, Diplomatic Correspondent
SADC Chairperson President Emmerson Mnangagwa has challenged the world to unite in the fight against climate change.
He was speaking to the ZBC News as he rounded up his trip to Azerbaijan where he attended the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
For two days, President Mnangagwa met with fellow world leaders with discussions centred on the battle against climate change and its effects.
With rising temperatures, floods, severe drought and rising sea levels, the world cannot continue to look aside and bury their heads in the sand.
Developed countries have been the biggest culprits in their contribution to greenhouse gas emissions with developing nations paying the price of ravaging droughts, flooding and high temperatures.
Responding to questions from a local television station Anewz TV, President Mnangagwa spoke about the need for the globe to act as one.
He said, “It is important to the participating countries that have come here, a country is not an island, so we’re here together as several countries that have come from all over. I’m happy that as Zimbabwe, we have been able to come and share perspectives about our respective regions, sharing with other regions here. We have no choice but to work together because the threat does not affect one single country, it’s a global threat so all countries must endeavour to cooperate and work together and Zimbabwe is doing that. We’re cooperating with others so that we deal with climate change.”
With talks this year having been centered on climate financing, President Mnangagwa believes developed countries have to contribute more financially towards mitigatory measures.
“I think that we in the south, have contributed less in climate change than you in the north so I think that in the financing of this challenge, you must contribute more,” said the President.
Upon arrival in Baku, President Mnangagwa met with Azerbaijan President, ILham Aliyev and as he responded to questions on cooperation, he said Zimbabwe can draw some lessons from the Asian country on certain development areas.
“Zim and Azerbaijan’s level of development is different. As a result, we will benefit from what Azerbaijan has achieved. We don’t have to re-invent the wheel , whatever we want we take cue from those who have traveled the journey and adapt it to suit our domestic situation,”
Meanwhile, President Mnangagwa also met with Afreximbank leadership and attended African Development Bank meetings on the sidelines of COP29, while the need for mineral-rich countries to harness value addition and beneficiation to benefit more from their resources also took centre stage.
