Posted in Press Release
It is now a matter of time before the Community reinvigorates the EAC Climate Change adaptation programme. With it, the Council of Ministers is also being urged to re-establish the Climate Change Unit at the EAC, which faced closure last year due to perilous lack of funds. The move follows a Resolution of the Assembly moved to invoke Article 59 (3) (B) of the Treaty to revive the EAC climate Change adaptation and mitigation program.
Mover of the Resolution, Hon Abubakar Zein, reiterated that following the dissolution of the key unit at the EAC Secretariat, critical work that had being done was interrupted.
“Though the eventuality came to pass, the Council is taking efforts to re-look into the revival of the key programme”, Hon Zein added.
With the passage of the Resolution, the Council of Ministers is now expected to make tangible proposals on how to secure the work undertaken or yet to be done under the EAC Climate Change Programme including the possibility of creating a budget line for the same.
Within the next four months, the Council is to table before the Assembly a comprehensive report on the background to the establishment of the EAC Climate Change Programme circumstances that led to the shutting of the unit and possible negative impacts the Community may suffer.
Contributing to the debate on the Resolution, Hon Patricia Hajabakiga said it was shocking that the Climate Change Unit was closed at a critical time when the EAC and the continent needed to come up with a common position during the negotiations of the Paris declaration.
“Last year the world gathered in Paris, France, to chart the way forward on climate change. Essentially, analysts contend that if not dealt with, climate change would essentially begin to deal with the inhabitants”, Hon Hajabakiga said.
She said the Assembly had over the last few years passed a total of 4 resolutions related to matters of climate change. “The Council of Ministers needs to understand that climate change is a major challenge and we must speedily act”, the legislator said.
Hon Dora Byamukama said climate change and conducive environment were part and parcel of fundamental rights.
“We should move beyond mitigation to include adaptation, which requires us to look at green housing, irrigation and planting of seeds among others. I plead with the Council of Ministers to take the matter very seriously”, she said.
“We must be able to feed ourselves if we are to sustain our dignity on the face of the earth”, Hon Byamukama added.
Hon Mike Sebalu said the centrality of integration lay in its trickle-down effect to the people. He remarked that leaders must be strategic thinkers and must prioritise key strategic areas.
“The issue of climate change is critical, topical and on top of the global agenda. Today, it affects critical issues of life and it is important for the region to set exemplary practices and good examples”, he said.
Hon Shyrose Bhanji said without the climate change programmes, the region’s environment including flora and fauna would be at risk.
“Let us take an example of Mount Kilimanjaro summit whose ice is diminishing at the moment due to negative climate change. A day may come when the mountain has no ice or water, therefore, there is an acute need to re-establish the unit” Hon Bhanji remarked.
Hon Saoli ole Nkanae informed the House research shows the Sahara desert was moving south towards the region while the water at Antarctica is melting which could lead to a serious case of desertification.
Hon Taslima Twaha termed the closure of the unit unfortunate and called for its immediate re-establishment.
Hon Martin Ngoga said it was necessary for a policy on sustainability to be in place. There are certain strategic areas and we need to see how best sustain such units.
Hon Dr Ndahiro asked the Council to operationalise the Private-Public Sector Partnership (PPP) framework and as such include the Private Sector and Civil Society Organisations in management of climate change.
The Third Prime Minister and Minister for EAC, Uganda, Rt Hon Kirunda Kivejinja said the Council of Ministers was already seized of the matter and would pay serious consideration to the content of the Resolution. He said deforestation if unchecked would result in consumption of loads of firewood.
At the 24th Meeting of the Council of Ministers held in November 2011 in Bujumbura, the Council approved the establishment of the Climate Change Programme Management to proceed after the signing of the Financing Agreement. In July 2012, the agreement between COMESA, EAC and SADC was signed to establish the Tripartite Programme.
Posted in Press Release
The East African Legislative Assembly resumed its session in Arusha, Tanzania, today, where it debated and passed a critical report on poaching in the region. The Assembly in essence, urged EAC Partner States to reform wildlife laws and to put in place initiatives that promote upkeep of communities that neighbor the wildlife conservancy areas.
The Oversight report on poaching presented to the House by the Chair of the Agriculture, Tourism and Natural Resources Committee, Hon Christophe Bazivamo, further urges Partner States to develop/improve wildlife conservation strategies and protection measures through patrols, joint cross border operations, surveillance and information sharing.
With it, the Assembly says Partner States should and can provide part of the revenue collected from wildlife tourism to the communities living around the National Parks to promote conservation.
The report emanates from a workshop on poaching and fisheries held in Mwanza, Tanzania and in Nairobi, Kenya in August 2014. Its objective was to sensitize Parliamentarians on the escalating problem of poaching and illegal wildlife trafficking in EAC region and to solicit their views on strategies and measures that could be adopted in addressing the problem. The workshop further sought to consider existing international and regional policies, strategies and regulatory framework/instruments on wildlife management on the one side as well as the current and proposed national and regional initiatives toward strengthening wildlife conservation on the other hand.
The report was a follow –up on the Resolution moved in the House by Hon. Ogle Abubakar on “Escalating problem on Poaching and Illegal Wildlife trafficking in EAC” in August 2013 in Arusha.
The Committee was only able to visit the Serengeti National Park and the Mwaloni Kirumba fish market in Mwanza, Tanzania as well as the Nairobi National Park. The Serengeti National Park is dubbed as one of the park’s with the greatest concentration of game in the region and famed for over two million wildebeest, half a million Thomson's gazelles and a quarter of a million, zebras. The Committee observed that mining settlements are interfering with the migration path of some animals and mechanized agriculture has taken over where wildebeests would historically breed their calves.
This has caused a loss of habitat for many species in the Serengeti. At the same time, Hon Bazivamo informed the House that non-authorized people enter into Serengeti National Park for various reasons. Such include poaching, hunting, cutting trees/firewood, grazing, fishing, cultivation and mining. Persons also traverse the parks collecting grass, medicine, honey, water and seeking refuge.
In Kenya, the Assembly was informed that proliferation of small arms and light weapons created an avenue for wildlife poaching. Other documented challenges include inadequate man power (rangers), skills, equipment and transport as well as human settlement around key rhino and elephants’ areas.
The Report also highlights findings of the fishing sector following a visit to the Mwaloni-Kirumba fish market in Mwanza as well as a presentation by experts on fisheries on the Lake Victoria. It states in part that the increasing number of fishermen to 1.5% between 2012 to 2014 means the sector is in danger of collapse in the future.
“Usually, any natural water points (such as lakes, rivers) have a maximum number of fishing effort it can accommodate so that the fisheries become sustainable, above which the fisheries become depleted, unsustainable and will eventually collapse”, a section of the report says.
The report also informs the House of decrease of the use of long-line hooks as well as the use of prohibited illegal gillnet as challenges despite its decrease in usage by 7.2%.
During debate today, Hon Martin Ngoga said Police in Rwanda recently intercepted ivory cargo transiting through the country and said further deficiencies in legislation on matters of poaching need to be effectively handled.
“We have to look into the shortcomings on legislations with a view to coming up with regional piece of legislation or strengthening those of Partner States,” the legislator said.
Hon Ngoga remarked that there was abundance of political will in resolving the poaching impasse but said such capacities need to be strengthened. Hon Taslima Twaha said the water hyacinth continued to be a challenge in Tanzania saying it was depriving fish of existence.
“The technology that was used in the Republic of Kenya in Kisumu could be shared in Mwanza to address the problem”, Hon Twaha said. He said fish and specifically the nile perch was good for health of all citizens and that it was vital for the demands of the region to be fully met before any exports. Hon AbuBakr Ogle said the Middle East and specifically China was a big beneficiary of poaching menace and it was necessary for the Government and the EAC to partner together to end the vice.
Hon Shyrose Bhanji said the fish market provided labour opportunities for those in the fishing business. She remarked that the Serengeti national park which straddles Arusha, Manyara and Mwanza which had a rich ecosystem for a number of years was now deprived and pegged at 30%. “The Park needs to be preserved and mining activities should be suspended and stiff penalties meted to poachers. Our governments must come together to fight the malpractices” she said.
Hon Isabelle Ndahayo said corruption was a key ingredient of poaching and the region needs to stem the vice. “We have debated the matters over and over again, passed a number of resolutions. The conservation areas are shared and a joint strategy is necessary. The Council of Ministers must deal with the matter squarely”, Hon Ndahayo said.
Hon Nusura Tiperu said the adoption of the report was a key indication that the Assembly is passionate about ending poaching. “Governments must be tough and act to save those working to deplete numbers. Animals have no borders and laws that are defined within national borders may not suffice. Instead a regional mechanism is key” Hon Tiperu said.
Hon Maryam Ussi, Hon Pierre Celestin Rwigema, Hon Dr Odette Nyiramilimo, Hon Patricia Hajabakiga also supported the report.
Third Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for EAC, Republic of Uganda, Rt Hon Kirunda Kivejinja said a regional mechanism was necessary to contain poaching. Kenya, United Republic of Tanzania and Uganda are beneficiaries of the Ivory Fund whose contributors include; Netherlands, Germany, China, UK, France Belgium and South Africa. Kenya and Tanzania have been identified to be among the eight countries of concern with respect to increased illegal trade in elephant ivory and directed by the Convention on International Trade on Endangered Species (CITES) Parties through the Standing Committee to put in place actions aimed at reducing the illegal trade.