African climate experts face visa hurdles ahead of crucial IPCC meeting

In a new development ahead of the 61st Intergovernmntal Panel Climate Change(IPCC) Panel Session, the African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES) has raised concerns over the difficulties faced by African experts in obtaining visas to attend the meeting in Sofia, Bulgaria.

This important session, scheduled from July 27 to August 2, 2024, is poised to discuss crucial matters including the draft scoping outline for the Special Report on Climate Change and Cities.

In a letter dated July 12, 2024, Dr. George Wamukoya, Team Leader of AGNES, expressed the urgency of the situation. "The attendance of National Focal Points (NFPs) and experts from Africa is crucial for the success of this session," Wamukoya emphasised.

He highlighted the strategic importance of African participation in ensuring that the discussions and outcomes reflect the unique challenges and perspectives of the continent.​​

During a strategy meeting held in Nairobi from July 8 to 12, 2024, over 70 African experts and practitioners, including IPCC Bureau Members and representatives from the UNFCCC Regional Coordinating Centres, discussed the upcoming session.

However, the visa challenges emerged as a significant hurdle. "Several NFPs and experts who have been registered by IPCC are having challenges in obtaining visas to travel to Sofia," Wamukoya noted​​.

AGNES has appealed to Proffesor. Jim Skea, IPCC Chair, and the IPCC Secretariat to intervene and ensure that African delegates receive their visas in time. "We implore you and the IPCC Secretariat to intervene on behalf of the many African delegates... and ensure that they obtain visas in good time," urged Wamukoya in the letter.

He also recommended that future meetings be held in countries that facilitate easier access for participants, thereby avoiding such constraints.

The letter also emphasised the broader context of the challenges faced by African experts in contributing to global climate discourse.

AGNES has consistently advocated for more inclusive and representative scenarios in IPCC assessments. In a previous meeting held in March 2024, experts highlighted the limitations of the scenarios used in the Sixth Assessment Report (AR6) and stressed the need for models that better capture the aspirations and realities of Africa and the Global South​.

As the IPCC prepares for its crucial 61st session, African experts are pushing for the need of inclusivity and equity in global climate governance. Ensuring the participation of diverse voices is essential for crafting effective and just climate policies.