Western governments and organizations have hijacked the event to advance a pro-West agenda and interests, activists claim.
/ from thefreeonline on 19th Aug 2023 by /nytimes./Der Friedensstifter /censored Africa
African civil organizations demand removal of US company McKinseyGate from climate summit board
More than 400 civil society organizations have written to Kenyan President William Ruto, urging him to “reset the focus” of the upcoming Africa Climate Summit to reflect the interests of the continent.
In a joint petition, the group expressed “grave” concern about the inaugural event, which is scheduled for September 4–6 in Nairobi, Kenya, claiming it has been hijacked by Western governments and organizations “hell-bent on pushing a pro-West agenda and interests at the expense of Africa.”
The activists have asked the Committee of African Heads of State and Governments on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) to remove American company McKinsey from the summit’s organizing board. In exchange, they demanded the formation of an African-led expert group to help reshape the conference’s plan.
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“Even more worryingly, the agenda of the summit has been unduly influenced by US-based consultancy firm McKinsey and Company. The lead of African officials and ministers has been pushed on the backburner,” the petition read.
On Thursday, Kenya’s leader, who is the chairperson for the CAHOSCC, announced that the conference would explore and champion the continent’s renewable energy opportunities and future while offering a platform to maximize opportunities for African-led climate solutions.
In an interview with RT on Thursday, Odhiambo Oyoko, who leads the forum for civic participation in governance, said while the event is an “African summit offering African solutions,” local organizations seeking involvement and input have been excluded.
“We are concerned about some of the organizations like McKinsey and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation,” he said, explaining that they are “pushing an agenda” of “so-called market approaches to climate change issues, which I think we oppose.”
“McKinsey isn’t an accountable organization,” Oyoko insisted.We are gravely concerned about the direction the African Climate Summit is taking.
We look up to you as Africa’s most senior leader on climate change. As the Chairperson of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), you are the fulcrum around which Africa’s interests and position on climate issues revolves as defined by African Ministers (AMCEN) and officials (AGN).
The summit is a tremendous opportunity to chart a new course for the continent that creates a leadership vision for a cleaner, safer and prosperous future that protects our people, our food systems, water resources and biodiversity.
This vision must boost our collective efforts to build our renewable energy systems and electrification infrastructure on a scale that benefits millions of Africans while inspiring other countries to make interventions that prevent further global heating.
Rather than advancing Africa’s interests and position on critical climate issues, the summit has been seized by Western governments, consultancy companies and philanthropic organisations hellbent on pushing a pro-West agenda and interests at the expense of Africa.
Even more worryingly, the agenda of the Summit has been unduly influenced by US-based consultancy firm McKinsey and Company. The lead of African officials and ministers has been pushed on the backburner.
These developments are seriously unsettling.
The Summit concept note, as proposed by McKinsey and Company, reflects the interests of the US, McKinsey and the Western corporations they represent. Meanwhile, Africa’s stated priorities are conspicuously missing, as a result.
Moreover, the so-called “think tanks committee” set up to drive negotiations at the Summit is chaired by individuals who represent UK and US-based organisations and not African organisations.
The agenda and its outcomes. Both are headquartered in the United States and do not champion Africa’s interests.
Some African organisations that advance Western agenda have also been given a disproportionately huge role in the organisation of the event.
The result is a Summit agenda that foregrounds the position and interests of the West, namely, carbon markets, carbon sequestration and “climate positive” approaches.
These concepts and false solutions are led by Western interests while being marketed as African priorities.
In truth, though, these approaches will embolden wealthy nations and large corporations to continue polluting the world, much to Africa’s detriment.
How McKinsey Lost Its Way in South Africa When the godfather of management consulting landed its biggest contract ever in Africa, it made the worst mistake in its storied nine-decade history.
African professionals and leaders are aware of the capture of this Summit by non-Africans and some are already threatening to not attend. This trend will grow as word spreads that this is not an African conference. The risk is the collapse of the event in the eleventh hour.
But all is not lost, Mr. President. Things can still be remedied. We, therefore, call for an urgent reset of the Summit in a manner that puts Africa’s interests first.
The Letter by 1200 organisations
As an African Head of State who champions the continent’s interests in the climate discourse, you have gained international recognition for fronting transformative ideas and being firm in this cause. Similarly, there is a wealth of African-led ideas and proposals that the Nairobi summit must consider.
Dear President William Ruto,
CC:
African Heads of State and Governments
Chairperson of the African Union
Chairperson of the African Union Commission
signed by 400 civil society organizations
To restore the meeting on track and to advance an agenda of, by and for Africans, we call on you to:
- Withdraw the control and influence of Mckinsey in the organisation of this Summit. In exchange, an African-led expert group has to be established to help reshape the Summit’s agenda.
- Ensure the meeting advances Africa’s interests and priorities as promoted by African Governments and civil society in the UNFCCC.
- Adopt an integrated approach to Africa’s climate, energy and development issues. Without such an integrated African-led approach, concepts like “green growth” will simply further “neo-colonialism”.
- Advance a strong focus on renewable energy to counter efforts by the fossil fuel industry, Western interests, fossil fuel-producing African countries to hijack Africa’s just energy transition.
- Avoid all false solutions such as carbon markets and geo-engineering which are designed to encourage wealthy countries and people to continue polluting and turning Africa into a dumping ground and field for technological trials.
- Implement and adopt climate policies that promote a just and equitable phase-out of all new oil, gas and coal projects on the African continent in line with Africa’s development interests and the recommendations of IPCC, IEA and other scientific organisations by cutting public and private financing.
- Seek transparent and meaningful dialogue between citizens and policymakers across the continent to build a shared African narrative and agenda to tackle the interlinked challenges of climate, energy and development.
- Promote avenues that provide sufficient and consensual climate funding to realise this commitment.
signed by 400 civil society organizations
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