DR Congo: Tshisekedi Steps Up Fight Against Climate Change

By Badylon Kawanda Bakiman

Felix-Antoine Tshisekedi Tshilombo, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Central Africa, has just mentioned the fight against climate change as one of the government's priorities. This is also included in the roadmap for accelerating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Tshisekedi spoke in this way on September 20, 2023 at Columbia University in the United States, on the occasion of the Eleventh International Conference on Sustainable Development, focusing on the key challenges and opportunities for sustainable development at the halfway point of the 2030 Agenda.

Special guest of American economist Jeffrey Sachs, professor at Columbia University's Earth Institute, the President of the Republic explained that a climate of peace and good governance are major assets for achieving the SDGs by 2030.

He also called for "courageous and urgent" policies to extend social protection measures and curb income inequalities to support vulnerable people, including young people and women.

"Acting to overcome poverty and vulnerability by leaving no one behind is a sine qua non condition for achieving the SDGs in the DRC (...) It is for this reason that the Congolese government has adopted the roadmap on accelerating the SDGs in order to act more thoroughly, rapidly and ambitiously, bringing about the social and economic transformation needed to achieve the SDGs by 2030," he declared.

For years now, the President of the DRC has been asserting that, in the fight against climate change, the DRC is a "solution country" for the planet and for Congolese farmers. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the immense rainforest is a testing ground for combating climate change and restoring biodiversity for the benefit of the population.

Recall that the SDGs were adopted in 2015 by the United Nations, with the aim of eradicating poverty, protecting the planet and ensuring that all human beings live in peace and prosperity by 2030.

There are a total of 17 SDGs, namely: ''No poverty''; ''Zero hunger''; ''Good health and well-being''; ''Quality education''; ''Gender equality''; ''Clean water and sanitation''; ''Affordable and clean energy''; ''Decent work and economic growth''; ''Industry, innovation and infrastructure''; Reduced inequalities''; ''Sustainable cities and communities''; ''Responsible consumption and production''; ''Measures to combat climate change''; ''Aquatic life''; ''Terrestrial life''; ''Peace, justice and effective institutions''; ''Partnership to achieve the goals''.