The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Embassy in Ghana on Tuesday, August 1, 2023 welcomed a delegation from the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) led by its Executive Coordinator, Chibeze Ezekiel.
The meeting marked an essential step in strengthening partnerships and promoting climate change initiatives ahead of the highly anticipated COP28 Summit in Dubai.
Welcoming the SYND team to the Embassy, the UAE Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Amer Jamil Ghanem Ali Alalawi expressed his pleasure at the visit and shared valuable insights on some of the steps the UAE is taking in addressing the fight against climate change.
A primary focus of the meeting was youth engagement in activities related to COP28. Recognizing the pivotal role of young people in shaping the future of the planet, both SYND Ghana and the UAE Embassy emphasized the importance of including youth voices in climate change actions and decision-making processes.
Patience Agyekum, the Head of the Climate Change Programme and Policy Team Lead at SYND Ghana, took the floor to deliver a comprehensive presentation, which outlined SYND’s four main programme areas: Climate Change, Energy Access, Biodiversity, and Forestry. Miss Agyekum highlighted various ongoing and pipeline projects under each programme area, with a special emphasis on two initiatives – the “Road2COP” webinar series and the “Pre-COP National Youth Summit.”
The “Road2COP” webinar series has been an instrumental platform for disseminating knowledge and raising awareness about climate change issues among diverse audiences. Running for the past three years, it has successfully engaged stakeholders on critical issues such as loss and damage, climate finance, just energy transition, food sovereignty among others.
The Annual “Pre-COP National Youth Summit,” creates space for young climate advocates to engage directly with Ghana’s Climate Change Negotiators to understand the COP processes and the expectations from the conference. The meeting affords the opportunity for young people to share their views and contribute to the discourse on climate solutions. By providing them with essential knowledge, and networking opportunities, the summit enables youth to be effective agents of change in the fight against climate change.
After the presentation, Mikdad Mohammed, the Political and Economic Analyst at the UAE Embassy, expressed his admiration and appreciation for SYND Ghana’s impactful work. He praised the organization’s commitment to addressing climate change and its dedication to nurturing the youth’s potential as vital climate champions.
In response, Chibeze Ezekiel, expressed his gratitude for the warm reception and highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts in addressing climate change on a global scale. He stressed the significance of involving the youth, as they hold the key to a sustainable future.
The meeting concluded on a high note with some key steps or proposed actions that will fostering meaningful collaborations and strengthening the involvement of youth in climate action. Chibeze Ezekiel on behalf of SYND Ghana presented some publications including a Newsletter to the Ambassador.
