Friday August 18, 2023
A family shares a meal in Baidoa district, Somalia, on Jan. 20, 2023. (Photo by Abdi/Xinhua)
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and Somalia are collaborating to help the country join the global fight against climate change.
The FAO said Tuesday evening that the collaboration with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change seeks to develop the country's nationally determined contribution (NDC) plan of action to the Paris Agreement.
The NDC is a plan that outlines how Somalia will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change, as well as helping countries vulnerable to climate change such as Somalia to access climate financing.
"FAO is committed to helping Somalia build a more resilient future in the face of climate change," Rym Benzid, FAO's senior environment adviser in Somalia, said in a statement issued Tuesday evening in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia. "The NDC is an important part of this effort, and we are proud to be partnering with the government in its development."
According to the FAO, while Somalia is participating in global climate solutions like the Paris Agreement, the international community must also invest in livelihoods, resilience, infrastructure development, climate adaptation and durable solutions. This will ensure that Somalia's young and growing population can adapt and thrive in the future.
"Without international support, Somalia risks becoming even more vulnerable to the impacts of a globally changing climate, with disasters taking a greater toll on food security and human life in the future," the FAO said.
NDC Country Facilitator and Policy Adviser to the Federal Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Abdullahi Khalif said that Somalia takes seriously its responsibility to participate in global efforts to fight climate change. "The NDC is part of our roadmap towards a more climate-adaptive future. We believe that we can ensure economic development and also contribute to global efforts that address this threat that affects us all," Khalif said.
The FAO said it is working with the government of Somalia to improve climate resilience by strengthening the climate adaptiveness of its productive sectors. It's also strengthening data collection and analysis functions for early warning and anticipatory action to mitigate the impact of climate shocks.