Staff Reporter
THE Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism’s Environmental Commissioner, Timoteus Mufeti, is advocating for a legally binding drought protocol to be established at the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) level to support drought-affected countries like Namibia.
“Namibia maintains that drought is one of the significant issues Africa faces. As such, a legally binding instrument on drought at the UNCCD level is vital to increase the relevance of drought and enhance financial allocation to drought as a stand-alone issue/window,” he said.
Mufeti made these remarks at the 10th Special Session of the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) held this week in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. He called for the support of all African countries and other like-minded parties to adopt such a protocol during the upcoming 16th and 17th sessions of the UNCCD Conference of the Parties.
He emphasised that a drought protocol under the UNCCD is especially vital for countries like Namibia, which frequently endures prolonged droughts that adversely affect agriculture, water resources, biodiversity, food security, the economy, and communities.
“During the last seven years, the Government of Namibia has had to declare a State of Emergency four times following the worst droughts that the country has experienced in 100 years. For this year alone, more than 44% of households in Namibia depend on the government-funded drought relief programme, a programme designed to alleviate the suffering of affected Namibians,” Mufeti said.
He explained that a legally binding drought protocol would provide a necessary framework for coordinated international efforts to tackle drought impacts, offering guidelines for early warning systems, drought preparedness, and response strategies.
“By fostering collaboration and sharing best practices, countries can enhance their resilience to drought and mitigate its effects on food security and economic stability,” Mufeti added.
