A week into the climate change conference in Bali and African representatives have finally reached a consensus on what issues to present. VOA’s Chinedu Offor is in Bali. Monday, he spoke to VOA English to Africa Service reporter Joe De Capua about why it took a week to reach a consensus.
“It’s a total picture of the problems that has faced countries and representatives here in Bali. A lot of disagreements on how to move forward, especially since each country is coming to the table with issues peculiar to their own countries…first, they would have to agree on issues that united them rather than the ones that divide them…ands today they came to a consensus,” he says.
Offor adds, “African countries are asking for more funding. They’re saying if they have to cut back on emissions, if they have to…introduce new technology to ensure that these greenhouse gases are capped, then they will have to have a lot of money to buy new equipment. And they’re saying they can’t do that all alone…they’re also saying that funds promised under the Kyoto agreement to help African nations along this path have failed to reach those nations.”
Commenting on the African issues is Dr. Samuel Adejuwon, chair of the African group of negotiators under the United Nations framework on climate change. He says, “We will be satisfied with the situation whereby concrete, practical decisions are taken on technology transfer, capacity building and funds, generally in terms of special climate change funds, least developed country funds and adaptation funds … to the African region for implementing climate change activities.”
Asked whether the African representatives feel optimistic about the chances of approval, VOA reporter Offor says, “They are pretty optimistic that they can get their views passed and they can get other parts of the world at this meeting to agree on those issues.
