Tag Archives: Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP28)

Malawi, Regional

#COP28: Malawi’s Songwe River Basin program gets ADB support

Maravi Post Reporter

….TO create 15,000

DUBAI-(MaraviPost)-The African Development Bank (ADB) has offered fresh assurances that it is seriously considering supporting Malawi and Tanzania to roll out the US$1 billion Songwe River Basin Programme.

The project will support the construction of a multipurpose dam and an 80-megawatt Hydropower Plant to be used by the two countries.

AFDB President Dr. Aknwuni Adesina made the assurance on the sidelines of COP 28 in Dubai when he held a joint high-level meeting with Malawi’s Minister of Water and Sanitation, Abida Mia, Tanzania’s Minister of Water, Juma Aweso and Minister of Livestock and Fish Abdalla Ulega.

Mia said that once completed the project will allow Malawi to dedicate an additional 3,050 hectares of land towards the mega-farms.

The two countries will also create job opportunities for over 15,000 people through the program.

Environment, Malawi, Regional

#CO28: Malawi wins Best African NDC Forestry Initiative Award

Maravi Post Author

By Arnold Mnelemba

DUBAI-(MaraviPost)-Former President of the Republic of Malawi Joyce Banda was on Tuesday, December 5, 2023, accompanied by the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Michael Usi to receive a prestigious community-centered Best Forestry Initiative in Africa Award at the COP28 currently underway in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Former President led a delegation of representatives from Community Development Initiative (CDI), and Irise Homes at the COP28 African Investment Earthshot Leaders Summit to receive the African NDC Forestry Initiative Award.

CDI partnered with US-based Irise Homes in their quest to transform the area of Traditional Authority, (T/A) Nyanja of Kasungu in promoting commercial farming, environmental management, and the use of clean energy.

Dr. Joyce Banda was among the high-level delegates who attended the Africa Investment Earthshot Leaders Summit alongside Namibian President Hage Gottfried Geingob.

President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, President Félix Tshisekedi of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and President Hage Gottfried Geingob of Namibia were winners of Presidential Initiative Awards in various categories.

Before the Awards ceremony, leaders and business captains discussed challenges and game-changing solutions to the climate crisis focusing on potential funding models for a broad range of interventions including energy Infrastructure.

The Former President was joined by Irise Homes Chief Executive Officer Jason Rosamond, one of the Directors Alex Petfer, and CDI Board Member Mara Kum’bweza.

She dedicated the Award to the people of Malawi, President Lazarus Chakwera and the government of Malawi for creating an enabling environment for CDI and Irise Homes to operate freely.

The Former Malawi leader thanked the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Michael Usi for their dedicated service to the nation saying he is very cooperative and understands the importance of collective efforts if the country is to achieve its agenda in environment and natural resources affairs.

Dr. Banda possesses the traits needed during this period of great challenges in Malawi’s, and Africa’s, history.

Before her active career in politics, she established several nongovernmental and charitable foundations geared toward improving the lives of people in rural areas and the marginalized.

The Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) appointed Dr. Joyce Banda as a Climate Change and Justice champion in Africa.

She earned the championship because of her unwavering passion for speaking about climate justice and the need for compensation for countries suffering from climate injustice through no fault of their own.

Earlier this year, Malawi suffered one of its worst tropical cyclones ever.

Cyclone Freddy caused extreme rainfall, flooding, and catastrophic mudslides. The most extreme rainfall was in Nkulambe, Phalombe, where 42.5 inches (108 centimeters) fell in just four days. That is more than the area normally receives in a year.

Well over 2.5 million people were affected, with more than 600,000 people displaced, 679 dead, 537 missing, and 2,186 injured.

President Lazarus Chakwera appointed Dr. Joyce Banda and Former President Bakili Muluzi as Goodwill Ambassadors on Cyclone Freddy Recovery.

Malawi, Regional

COP28: Malawi Water Minister Abida Mia lauds ADB on Songwe River Basin support

Maravi Post Reporter

DUBAI-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Water and Sanitation Mister Abida Mia has lauded the African Development Bank (ADB) for financial support towards the construction of the Songwe River Basin, a multi-purpose dam in the northern region.

This comes after the African Development Bank, along with other multinational development banks, has committed to helping African countries including Libya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe, which are facing existential risks due to the impact of climate change.

The commitment has been made in the ongoing Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai which Water Minister Mia is part of the Malawi delegation.

The banks said will collaborate to attract private capital for countries, expand the scope of reporting climate results and impact, help countries identify priorities and investment opportunities, and access multimedia content.

One major development is the construction of the Songwe River Basin.

Welcoming the development, Minister of Water, Abida Mia, said the commitments have come at the right time “because, despite contributing the least to global warming and having the lowest emissions, Malawi is at risk due to the impact of climate change”

Mia disclosed that the dam will, among other things, be used for hydropower generation with a capacity of 80 megawatts to power Tanzania and Malawi.

Source: Times360