Deputy Secretary-General, at International African Development Conference, Urges Scaled-Up Action to Ensure Greener, Healthier Planet for Future Generations

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the Eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, in Tunis today:

Ladies and gentlemen,

Let me start by congratulating the Tunisian Government for hosting and organizing the Eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development for the second time only on the African continent.

It is my pleasure to speak to you about the climate-related actions we need for people and for the planet.  This year has given us a glimpse of the catastrophic effects of the climate crisis.  Many corners of the world have faced storms, floods, droughts and raging wildfires.  Lives and livelihoods have been lost.  Tunisia has not been exempt from the negative impacts of climate change.

In this context, just about a month ago, the United Nations General Assembly voted on a historic resolution that declared access to a clean and healthy environment a universal human right.  I would like to commend Tunisia for their vote in favour of this landmark resolution, as well as all who are acting to ensure a greener and healthier planet for future generations.

Despite this breakthrough, much more remains to be done.  Today, I urge everyone, everywhere to employ innovative solutions and mobilize communities, the private sector and Governments to accelerate our pace to taking these solutions to scale.  To do this we need young people, including the young people of Tunisia to play a leading role.

From the Eighth Tokyo International Conference on African Development to Africa’s Twenty-seventh Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the United Nations stands committed to amplifying your voice and accompanying you in this journey to a more peaceful and healthier planet.

I wish you a successful Conference.