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| Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan |
(MONROVIA, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 25,
2014): Liberia’s Foreign Minister Augustine Kpehe Ngafuan
has challenged all actors in the global community to make collective commitment
and proportionate contribution to the impact of climate change in the world.
Speaking at the UN Climate Change Summit at the UN headquarters in New York on
Tuesday, September 23, 2014; the Liberian Foreign Minister said as small and
developing countries make commitments to save the planet bigger or developed
countries should do similar.
“The
hard truth is that if all countries, small or big, developing or developed, do
not make similar and proportionate contributions to this noble effort, what we
do here today will not avail much in achieving the lofty goals we have set for
this Summit”, Minister Ngafuan remarked.
He
said developing countries, like Liberia, contribute very little to global
greenhouse emissions but suffer disproportionately from the adverse impact of
climate change. Minister Ngafuan hopes
that the UN Climate Change Summit will spur the global community into concrete
actions in the interest of the current generation and the generations of the
future.
The
Foreign Minister told the world gathering that the impacts of climate change
have resulted in low agricultural and fisheries productivities, and
unprecedented coastal erosion in Liberia. He revealed the negative impacts of
climate change on critical sectors like agriculture, health and energy continue
to impede our Agenda for Transformation.“Cognizant of the potential consequences
of climate change, our Agenda for Transformation and our long term development
framework, Vision 2030, captured the development of a national climate change
policy, strategies and plans”, the Liberian Foreign Minister said.
Minister
Ngafuan on behalf of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who was unable to attend
the all important high level climate event at this time due to the severity of
the Ebola crisis in Liberia and the region, extended sincere thanks and
appreciation to His Excellency Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the United
Nations for organizing the event on Climate Change, particularly, at a summit
level.
Signed:
Horatio
Bobby Willie
ASSISTANT MINISTER/PUBLIC AFFAIRS