Africa-Press – Kenya. Kenya on Saturday launched the implementation plan for the Building Climate Resilience for the Urban Poor (BCRUP) for Africa initiative by the United Nations.
Ruto was represented by Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi at the launch held on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai.
He insisted that full implementation of the plan will effectively contribute to the realization of sustainable development goals and the climate action agenda.
“The objective of the Building Climate Resilience for the Urban Poor (BCRUP) initiative is to build resilience and enhance the adaptive capacity of the urban poor against adverse climate change effects and disasters,” Mudavadi said.
“Today we are gathered here to demonstrate that the time for talking is over and it is time to focus on implementation. As champions, leaders, and policymakers, we must swing into action to lead a global transformation with our key partners regarding Building Climate Resilience of the Urban Poor initiative in Africa and beyond.”
The effort to be put into these neighbourhoods to improve climate resilience requires an investment of 5 billion dollars in 10 years.
He said necessary resources including technology must be released immediately to address the dire needs of urban populations and enhance their capacity to cope with the adverse effects of climate change.
Mudavadi reassured Kenya’s commitment to see BCRUP succeed, by working with all partners to achieve this vision.
He also called upon the climate finance institutions and other partners present at COP28 to mobilize firm support and commitments for financing the BCRUP Implementation Plan.
“I wish to thank all the partners who have come on Board in the development of the implementation action plan including United Cities and Local Governments of Africa (UCLG Africa), the Commonwealth Secretariat, UN-Habitat, Green Climate Fund, the African Designated Authorities Network, Africa Research and Impact Network, Habitat for Humanity and Slum Dwellers International among others,” he said.
“We recognize the important role that Cities and Local Governments as theatres for climate change impacts with the majority of the urban poor bearing the brunt of the climate change effects.”
The plan aims to improve the living conditions and climate resilience capacity of poor urban in the following countries: Botswana, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Rwanda and Uganda.
The government has put up the BCRUP secretariat steering committee co-chaired by Cabinet Secretary Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, Kenya and the Secretary General, United Cities and Local Government Africa (UCLG Africa).
The initiative will be implemented in collaboration with Africa Union Commission, Africa Designated Authorities Network (AFDAN), UN-Habitat, IGAD, Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Commonwealth Secretariat, Council of Governors, Pan Africa Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), Expo City Dubai, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES), Slum Dwellers International, Habitat for Humanity, Kenya Green Building Society among others.
According to UN statistics, the total urban population in these countries amounts to 186 Million with 112 million living in poor urban neighbourhoods.
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