President in UK for COP26

Africa Moyo–Deputy News Editor

President Mnangagwa arrived at Glasgow Prestwick Airport in Scotland, yesterday where he is expected to meet close to 200 other Heads of State and Government to deliberate on ways that could save the world from the adverse impact of climate change.

The President left Harare yesterday morning. He was seen off at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, service chiefs and other senior Government officials.

Vice President Chiwenga is the acting President.

President Mnangagwa speaks to his deputy Dr Constantino Chiwenga (left) in the presence of Cde Kembo Mohadi at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport yesterday before his departure for the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom. — Picture: Believe Nyakudjara.

The President is expected to take advantage of the COP26 to deepen the re-engagement drive that his administration embarked on since 2017.

President Mnangagwa is set to meet a number of Heads of State and Government, potentially including UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Speaking ahead of the COP26, President Mnangagwa said: “The discussions at COP26 are going to be an important step in agreeing a collective way forward.

“For Zimbabwe we feel the impact of climate change more than others. Our temperatures have risen by approximately 2 degrees Celsius over the past century which has seen a significant increase in extreme weather.

“In the past two decades alone, we have had to deal with 10 droughts.

“If the world doesn’t step up, we will see jobs lost, livelihoods destroyed and people will lose their lives. That is something we must avoid and why Zimbabwe is coming to the table with ambitious plans to tackle climate change.”

President Mnangagwa said he would appeal for multilateral support to supplement Zimbabwe’s efforts to mitigate the impact of climate change.

COP is a platform where countries can showcase their issues of concern with respect to climate change and mobilise resources to stop further change, avoid disaster and for implementation of resilience projects and programmes.

It’s all smiles as President Mnangagwa enthusiasts proudly wear T-shirts and regalia emblazoned with the image of the Zimbabwean leader as they wait for his arrival in Glasgow, Scotland, last night.

It brings together the 197 nations and territories — called parties — that have signed on to the Framework Convention.

All states that are parties to the convention are represented at the COP, at which they review the implementation of the convention and any other legal instruments that the COP adopts and take decisions necessary to promote the effective implementation of the convention, including institutional and administrative arrangements.

A key task for the COP is to review the national communications and emission inventories submitted by parties.

It’s all smiles as President Mnangagwa enthusiasts proudly wear T-shirts and regalia emblazoned with the image of the Zimbabwean leader.

Based on this information, the COP assesses the effects of the measures taken by parties and the progress made in achieving the ultimate objective of the convention.

Zimbabwe is a party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and its attendant protocols, namely the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.

COP26 runs from today to November 12.