Somalia to partner with Egypt in dealing with climate change

GOOBJOOG NEWS | MOGADISHU: Somalia and Egypt have agreed to work together in dealing with effects of climate change which poses a serious threat to the citizens of the two countries and the world.

Environment and Climate Change minister Khadijo Mohamed Makhsoumi on Monday met with her Egyptian counterpart Yasmine Fouad in Mogadishu where they discussed areas where the two countries can partner in dealing with climate change.

The two ministers further discussed strengthening ties between the two countries and cooperate in other sectors of economic growth and development.

Africa has been adversely affected by the effects of climate change which is attributed to stressors from deforestation, flooding, drought, Soil Erosion, coastal storms locust invasion and shifting weather patterns that endanger ecological resilience.

Climate change affects migration patterns as it thwart crops, food production systems, water resources which causes hunger and creates conflict among communities as they fight for the dwindling resources.

Somali’s economy largely depends on natural resources and man-made degradation of natural resources such as charcoal production and overgrazing, climate change could make the country more vulnerable to poverty and food insecurity.

Greater drought exposure tends to decrease consumption by a significant margin in rural Somalia, increasing the poverty levels. This adverse impact of climate change on the poor will be far-reaching.

A recent World Bank study shows that climate change may cause 216 million people to migrate in their own country by 2050, and push as many as 132 million people into poverty by 2030.