Rejoice Mabudafhasi, the Deputy Minister of Water and Environmental Affairs launched a clean-up campaign at the Beit Bridge with Francis Nhema, the Zimbabwean Minister of Conservation and Environmental Affairs.
“We are starting to create awareness among communities residing in the vicinity of all our borders. This is being done in partnership with countries with which we share borders,” said the Deputy-Minister.
The clean-up campaign is the first of its kind and is not limited to cleaning the borders but will also be used to highlight other critical environmental issues including climate change, air quality and the need for the continent to forge strong links in matters relating to sustainable development. The two ministers will also use the platform to create awareness about the menace of xenophobia.
The campaign will be rolled out to other countries sharing borders with South Africa including Botswana, Lesotho, Swaziland, Namibia and Mozambique.
She pointed out the need for the continent to adopt a common position at the forthcoming talks on climate change which will be held in Copenhagen, Denmark.
“As the most vulnerable continent we are have to speak with one voice. We are among the ones likely to bear the brunt of climate change the most. Our continent is one of the areas where the adverse effects will be felt.”
Mabudafhasi will also be attending a conference on the Orientation on Gender and Climate Change for Africa Global Gender organised under the auspices of Climate Alliance (GGCA) in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia.
The conference will update delegates involved in global change planning and negotiations on the intersection of gender and climate change. The main focus will be on areas covered in the Bali action plan. These include adaptation, mitigation, technology development and transfer, financial resources and investment.
She stressed the critical importance of comprehensively addressing sustainability challenges.
“We have to embrace a sustainable development paradigm that meets the needs of the present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
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Issued by: Department of Water and Environmental Affairs
16 October 2009
