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STATEMENT BY MR SINDISO NGWENYA,
COMESA SECRETARY GENERAL
ON THE OCCASION OF THE OPENING
OF THE EASTERN AND SOUTHERN AFRICA REGIONAL YOUTH CONFERANCE ON CLIMATE
CHANGE
MULUNGUSHI INTERNATIONAL CONFERANCE CENTRE
LUSAKA ZAMBIA,
TUESDAY 18TH
OCTOBER 2011

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Our Guest of honour, Honourable Fackson Shamenda, Minister of Labour, Sport, Youth and Gender;
Honourable Ministers here present; Excellencies, Ambassadors, High Commissioners and
Permanent Representatives, Representatives of Civil Society Organizations, Delegates from the
Region, Youth Representatives, Members of Print and Electronic Media ,Ladies and Gentlemen
It is my singular honour to make remarks at this COMESA-supported Youth Conference on Climate
Change. Before I address this gathering however; allow me to first and foremost, express, my heartfelt
congratulations to Honourable Minister Shamenda on your appointment to this very important ministry. We
are all aware of your busy schedule and the fact that your ministry has so many demands that require your
attention. Your presence here today is therefore a clear manifestation of the seriousness you give to the
challenges posed by climate change which affects every country, particularly Africa.
Distinguished guests
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me to congratulate the Zambian youth organization Green Enviro-Watch for organizing this noble
conference. This is the first of its kind to be held in Zambia following a similar one held in Malawi last year
ahead of COP 16 held Cancun, Mexico. I am proud that COMESA played a major role in facilitating the
successful hosting of this great convention. COMESA understands the important role that should be played
by the youth, who are indeed the future managers of our planet. It is for this reason that we have committed
ourselves to work with youth organizations to fight climate change for integrated sustainable development
in Africa. The youths are the future leaders of tomorrow and we need to engage them in all sectors and
processes of development of Africa in general and our region in particular.
Chairperson,
Ladies and Gentlemen
This conference theme which is “Enhanced Youth Engagement and Participation in Climate Change
for Integrated Sustainable Development in Africa” clearly indicates the need to involve all relevant
stakeholders including youth organizations as well as regional and international partners in combating
climate change, at continental level as well as in international fora. In this regard I am glad to inform this
august gathering that The East African Community (EAC), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern
Africa (COMESA) and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have already initiated
discussions towards the establishment of the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite Climate change initiative to
facilitate their long-term vision of working together.The primary objective is to inject the unified African
position into the COP 17 negotiations in Durban in December this year. This requires that we strengthen
our negotiation capacity and adopt winning strategies. It also calls for the active participation of all key

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stakeholders including the youths, particularly in advocacy. This Conference that has brought together
youths from COMESA, EAC and SADC is meant prepare them for their important role at COP 17, the first
on the African Continent.
Ladies and Gentlemen
Today’s world population is younger than ever before, with nearly 2.2 billion people under the age of 18 of
which 85 percent live in developing countries; most of them in Sub-Saharan Africa where most of
COMESA-EAC-SADC countries are located. We at COMESA therefore get very excited when an
opportunity to support the youth arises so that they play an important role in addressing issues that affect
the world such as climate change. There is unanimity on the fact that global temperatures are rising with
increasing impact on weather patterns and sea levels. These changes are exacerbating weather-related
disasters, pests and diseases; distribution patterns around the world; and affecting resource availability-
particularly food and water supplies. These changes have greatest impact on women and youth.
Honourable Minister, in case of Zambia, this vulnerable group is in your hands and we assure you that you
can count on us to support you.
Equally accepted, is the fact that the impact of climate change will vary by region. For a variety of reasons
such as geographic, economic, technological and response capacity, countries in sub-Saharan Africa, are
likely to bear a disproportionate share of the burden of the impact. Although our countries are the least
polluters, we are at the same time the most hit by climate change. The sectors at greatest risk are
agriculture, food security, water and health. The risks of reversal of recent gains in livelihoods, particularly
in developing countries, are real, making attainment of Millennium Developing Goals a big challenge.
Honourable Minister
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen
The growing demand for limited non-renewable, non-polluting energy is focusing attention on the need to
develop low carbon or non-carbon sustainable sources of energy. In this respect, green technology in the
energy sector is seen as the next great frontier that will power growth for this decade and beyond. For the
COMESA region, as with sub-Saharan Africa as a whole, water scarcity will be exacerbated by land-use
and environmental practices that degrade soils, wetlands, water towers, forests and groundwater tables,
leading to reduced water quantity and quality. Ironically some of our countries will experience floods and
the capacity of these countries to control will also severely tested.

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Climate change presents a clear danger for countries that have poor response capacity. In Africa and other
developing regions, climate change is a threat to the attainment of MDGs particularly MDG1: Reducing
Poverty and Hunger.
It is for these reasons that COMESA, within the Tripartite framework with EAC and SADC, is working on a
Climate Change Programme meant to contribute to the region’s vision and efforts to achieving economic
prosperity, improved livelihoods and climate protection. Key objectives of the programme include;
increasing advocacy and policy dialogue through the establishment of an African political platform to
enhance capacity on climate change; enhancing civil society and youth engagement in climate change
negotiations and advocacy processes. It is vital that we all sing from the same hymn sheet in matters
related to climate change.
Chairperson,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Let me take this opportunity to urge the youths attending this conference to ensure that this is not a one off
event, I hope that these two days deliberations will make you wiser on climate change matters; and that as
you go back to your different countries, provinces, districts, cities and homes you will all become
ambassadors for a climate friendly community.
In conclusion, Our Guest our Honour, I am informed that following the youth conference that was held in
Malawi last year, the youth resolved to form The COMESA-SADC-EAC Youth Climate Change Alliance
which will be a specialised youth Alliance on climate change within the spirit of COMESA,-EAC-SADC
tripartite cooperation. I am also informed that Green-Enviro-Watch Zambia is temporarily hosting this
Alliance, although it has not been yet officially launched. I take this opportunity therefore in my capacity as
the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite taskforce Chairperson to officially launch this alliance and congratulate
our youth for this noble initiative.
Thank you for your kind attention.