Africa urged to propose action plans on climate at upcoming conference

 President Ali Bongo Ondimba addresses the 69th session of the United Nations General Assembly. [AP photo]

Africa's nations must develop strategies to address climate change which poses an existential threat to the continent's megacities, Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba said at the third Africa Climate Week conference.

African officials and experts should sharpen the positions they will present at the 27th annual United Nations climate conference to be held in Egypt in November, said President Bongo.

The third African climate meeting is bringing together more than 1,000 government officials and stakeholders in Gabon's capital Libreville. They are working to form strong African regional climate responses.

"Climate change is a profound challenge in Africa and a great challenge of our time, amplifying existing social, political and economic inequalities," Patricia Scotland, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth group of former British colonies, said at the meeting.

The African climate week comes as the continent reels under several climate disasters such as drought in eastern Africa, sandstorms and extreme heat in West Africa's Sahel region, and destructive flash floods, storm surges including cyclones in central, western and southern Africa.

Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who will host the upcoming UN conference, lamented that promises made to African countries to help them fight climate change have not been fulfilled.

"The international community is lagging behind in mitigation, adaptation and finance. Several pledges on mitigation and adaptation finance celebrated in Glasgow are yet to be delivered," he said.

The African climate week conference will discuss other critical concerns of the continent including food security, carbon markets, climate migrants, and coastal resilience.