The Federal Republic of Somalia
The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 18) and the Eighth Session of the Conference of the Parties Serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 8)
Statement at the High-Level Segment
By
Hon. Buri M. Hamza
Head of the Somali Delegation
Mr. President,
Heads of State and Government,
Honourable Ministers and Heads of Delegations,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen
Speech by Buri M. Hamze, MP,Head of the Somali Delegation at COP18 in Doha
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Allow me Mr. President on behalf of my Government and my people to congratulate you on your election as the President for the Eighteenth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Eighth Session of the Conference of the Parties Serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol.
I would at the outset like to express my deep appreciation to the Government and people of the State of Qatar for hosting this Conference, and for the warm hospitality. The efforts and goodwill exerted by His Highness the Emir of the State of Qatar and his Government and people with the view to ensuring the success of COP 18 are highly commended. We are very grateful to the State of Qatar for the solidarity and compassion shown to the people of Somalia. We thank the Government of Qatar for the humanitarian assistance extended to the Somali people affected by drought and famine.
It is an honour and a privilege for me, Mr. President, to represent my Government and my people at this Conference. We have ratified the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol because of our conviction that these accessions would present the best opportunity for my country to join the global community in combating the impacts of global warming. My country is committed to becoming a full and active partner in global efforts to promote a low carbon economy.
Somalia has just recently ended its transition, following the devastation caused by a protracted crisis. It has commenced its post-transition dispensation with a strong determination to pursue, among other important priorities, a development that is environmentally sustainable: the kind of growth and development that takes into account the dire need for the introduction of low-carbon technologies in the future, the adoption of other abatement technologies that curtail emissions, and the development of a long-term vision that draws on the nation’s incredible solar resource and biomass in the production of renewable energy.
But our efforts to pursue a sustainable pathway and follow the road of low carbon future are being hampered by the continued overexploitation of our terrestrial as well as marine resources. The export of charcoal to some of the countries in the area continues unabated. This continues to induce large scale loss of biodiversity and land and forest degradation. Corrupt Somali merchants in cahoots with the businessmen in the countries that import our charcoal are responsible for the depletion of the mangrove forests in Somalia that play a critical role in mitigating climate change.
The said corrupt Somali merchants together with their counterparts in the importing countries are engaged in the trade of charcoal despite the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2036, which bans the export of charcoal from Somalia. These illegal merchants are contributing to deforestation and desertification in Somalia. They are contributing to the bolstering of militancy and the exacerbation of violence and instability in the country. Their continued involvement in this trade is precluding our Government’s determination to dismantle radicalism and warlordism in the country.
Mr. President
The African Union’s troops stationed in the southern port city of Kismayo in Somalia, have recently disclosed that charcoal is being exported out of Somalia despite the UN Security Council Resolution 2036. This charcoal that is shipped out of Kismayo port is destined to some of the neighbouring States that are “Parties” to the UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol. These States have ratified the Convention and the Protocol that prohibit logging and the import or export of charcoal.
These States that import our charcoal, Mr. President, are partly responsible for the increase of the atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, and hence to the exacerbation of the impacts of the climate change. And by allowing the export of the reported tens of millions of dollars of charcoal stockpiled at Kismayo port only, these States are indirectly aiding Al Shabaab militants to make use of the revenue accrued from this export in the prolongation of violence and instability in the country. This export-violence nexus is now well-established. A country lacking peace and stability is prone to the impacts of the climate change and to other environmental disasters.
Mr. President
My Government and my people are deeply concerned about these States’ lack of sensitivity to the plight of the Somali people. These States are “Parties” to the UNFCCC and to other multilateral environmental agreements. My Government and my people request the merchants in the States that are incriminated as being the main importers of charcoal from Somalia to put an end to this illegal trade and comply with the UN Security Council Resolution 2036. My Government and my people deem it absolutely imperative that these States comply with their Obligations as Parties to the Environmental Conventions, and respect the Charter of the United Nations and the Principles of International Law.
Moreover, the importing States must also accept to internalize the human and social costs of the environmental externalities that have been generated because of the production and export of the Somali charcoal. Somalia should be compensated for the damage it has incurred as a result of the production and export of charcoal. This can be done through massive reforestation projects and the provision of financial assistance to jump-start environmental recovery programmes.
Mr. President
My Government and my people are also concerned about the foreign vessels, which are engaged in looting the country’s marine resources. The same vessels flush their wastes in the country’s territorial waters, and go as far as dumping toxic wastes. The implications of this dumping are indeed dire: there are certainly unavoidable impacts resulting from this dumping. And according to some preliminary assessments carried out, the dumping of toxic wastes in the Somali territorial waters has led to very serious environmental disasters including marine pollution, the disappearance of certain aquatic species, ocean acidification, and possibly a rise in sea-level.
Mr. President
The strong messages conveyed by delegates to COP 18 as to the threats posed by the adverse impacts of the climate change do not need any further emphasis. We concur with their assertion that “failure to reach consensus in Doha will endanger all countries’ long-term wellbeing”. But having said this, Somalia also believes that any effort that aims at addressing the climate change must be based on the principles of the UNFCCC, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Bali Road Map. Somalia calls for the adoption of the second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol and the equipping of the institutions in the developing countries that support mitigation and adaptation.
The developed countries must be further committed to providing adequate resources and financing in the areas of adaptation and mitigation for all developing countries that are vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, particularly the LDCs and SIDS.
Allow me Mr. President to reiterate the sad reality of charcoal export from Somalia in my closing remarks. Somalia believes that charcoal trade can also be curbed through regional cooperation. We are pleased that that the UN is convening a meeting with the objective of forming an International Charcoal Trade Regulatory Committee[CTRC], which will include representatives from the charcoal Importing Countries[CIC], neighbouring countries, the African Union and IGAD. The International Charcoal Trade Committee will serve as a forum to provide information about charcoal trade to customs and law enforcement agencies in importing countries to curb charcoal trade. Because charcoal trade impacts the climate change, we believe that the UNFCCC Secretariat should also be part of the works of this Committee.
Thank you for your kind attention