The g7+ Secretariat together with COP28 Presidency organized a side event on “Building Resilience through scaling climate action in fragile states and conflict affected settings” during the launch of the COP28 Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery and Peace, on 03 December 2023. The event was held in partnership with Islamic Development Bank, International committee of Red Cross and World Bank.
The event was attended Ministers, ambassadors, representees of multilateral and bilateral donor organizations, civil society and think tanks. Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Timor-Leste, Minister of Environment, Agriculture and Livestock of Burundi, Minister of Environment of Madagascar were among the speakers.
The objective of the event was to discuss ways forward to operationalize the declaration on Recovery, relief, and Peace. The g7+ member countries shared their perspective on the need to build resilience through scaling up climate actions and resources and in fragile contexts, that are least responsible for climate change, but are feeling the brunt.
H.E. Kenyeh Barlay, Minister of Planning and Economic Development of Sierra Leone and Chair of g7+, in her opening remarks, commended the leadership of the presidency in launching a day dedicated to Relief, Recovery and Peace.
Other Ministers, and speakers emphasized that the declaration is crucial for the survival and resilience of conflict affected countries and their people. They called for a strong political will and paradigm shift in policies to build resilience through integrated approaches.
Appreciating the pledges to climate finances including the green climate fund and Loss and Damage fund, they expressed their hope that finances reach those people who are most in need and policies in accessing them are relaxed for conflict affected countries that need special attention.
During the discussion, participants express their commitment to work together to convert the declaration into action and support locally led initiatives to build resilience.
In his closing remarks, Dr. Helder da Costa, General Secretary of g7+ recommended establishing a high-level taskforce to follow up on the commitments made in the declaration. He ensured that the g7+ will do everything to have space for its members in the discourse on its implementation.
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