HE Salah Ahmed Jama, Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Government of Somalia talks with CGTN Europe from Dubai COP 28 Summit.
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00:00 Salah Ahmed Jamar is the Deputy Prime Minister of Somalia.
00:04 The case we have been making in the various forums that we attended is for countries that
00:10 are going through debt stress, going through the HIPC initiative, that is the debt relief
00:15 process, recovering from conflict, fighting off terrorist groups like Al-Shabaab.
00:23 Climate change acts as a threat multiplier.
00:27 It increases vulnerabilities and deteriorates situations.
00:31 So there should be funds in place to attend to such peculiar cases.
00:37 I think it has been argued in some of the forums that the blind spot of climate financing
00:43 and adaptation to climate change is the lack of focus on countries that are faced with
00:50 multiple threats prior to climate change and are more vulnerable to climate change shocks.
00:56 And mind you, a place like Somalia has a great potential to not only be a recipient of funds
01:01 but also part of the solution to climate change.
01:04 We have a long coastline, over 3,300 kilometres.
01:08 We have abundant fish of various types and genres.
01:12 We have livestock, over 60 million livestock, arable land.
01:17 But we need the resources to invest in those particular sectors that can help us.
01:22 We even have the potential to establish new electrical grids and a renewable energy approach
01:31 rather than focusing on what you call heavy fossil fuels.
01:36 Let's talk about those fossil fuels because the African group of negotiators have called
01:40 for different pathways on fossil fuels with developing countries, like some in Africa,
01:46 being allowed to expand their use rather than roll them back.
01:50 Do you think that's a fair way of doing things?
01:53 You know, one of the key principles of the Paris Agreement was the principle of common
01:57 challenge, a collective challenge, and differentiated responsibility in terms of capabilities.
02:04 You know, in countries like Somalia and Africa, who have the potential to, you know, explore
02:10 oil and other energy sources, I think we have to treat them in a very particular way.
02:16 In African countries, it is not about transitioning to greener energy and production means.
02:23 It is also about development.
02:24 As you know, many African countries are facing severe challenges in terms of attaining sustainable
02:31 development goals, zero hunger, health, human capital development, economic growth.
02:37 It is about development more than it's about just transition in the case of countries like
02:42 Somalia and other African countries that produce oil.
02:45 Yes, I would like to see a more nuanced approach to that transition.
02:51 What would Somalia like to see emerge from this year's COP?
02:55 Well, we expect, as Somalis, you know, we are going through the deadly process.
03:00 We're fighting off al-Shabaab.
03:01 We're trying to grow our economy.
03:03 We have a robust national development plan.
03:06 We are trying to invest in our sectors, from agriculture to livestock.
03:11 We're trying to invest in fisheries, where we could actually earn a lot of resources
03:17 and create more jobs in the fisheries sector, which is highly underperforming currently
03:22 in Somalia.
03:23 We would like to see international community to give special attention to places like Somalia
03:29 and countries in the Sahel that are facing more dire situations than others.