Africa cries out against injustice, conspiracy
Comments offAt the United Nations climate change negotiations in Copenhagen, the African group has reacted with rage to a document drafted by host country Denmark. The African group claims that the draft document, which was leaked to the press on Tuesday, undermines most of the African demands.
Ambassador Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping of Sudan, the head of the G77+China – of which all African countries are members – offered his response to the draft document in a hastily organized press conference on Wednesday afternoon. “I am hoping that this ill-perceived intention will not succeed. I hope that world leaders, scientists, NGOs, businesses and citizens of the world will not accept this proposal,” he said.
“The Prime Minister of Denmark is desperate for success at all cost, but he needs to distinguish between his political career and a successful deal that is just and equitable,” he added. According to Ambassador Lumumba, the Danish draft text favors only 20 per cent of the world population, namely the industrialised countries, while doing injustice to the remaining 80 per cent.
Ambassador Lumumba said developing and developed countries have their various demands and that it is important that they find the middle ground. However, he stated that a deal is only possible if it is just and equitable, and includes the world’s poor people. “Developing countries have made a minimum number of demands and without those demands being met, there will be no deal,” he said. The demands of developing countries include a serious proposal for long-term financing for adaptation, mitigation and technology transfer, and allowing a global temperature rise of no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Yvo de Boer, said that he understands why governments are furious over the leaked document: “Countries are nervous because they think it is an imbalance, but it has not been on the table in a formal way. People see it as a document that should not be the basis for discussions. All discussions should be mandated by the parties.”
It is not clear whether the leaked draft document will affect the outcome of the negotiations. UN officials have argued that the only official document is the one that shall be presented by the chair of the conference on behalf of the member states.
