President Wavel Ramkalawan has pleaded for all multilateral and international financial organisations under the control of the West to change their financing mechanisms to allow all small island developing states (SIDS) like Seychelles to have access to concessionary funding for climate action.  

According to a press statement from State House on Sunday, Ramkalawan made the plea in his statement as part of the G77 and China Leaders' Summit, the general debate segment on the margins of the 28th Session of the United Nations Conference of Parties (COP28) in Dubai.

The G77 plus China Summit in Dubai presented a platform for member states to discuss the climate action agenda acknowledging the seriousness of the climate change crisis especially for developing countries. 

"We, as Leaders, must be prepared to make bold commitments and crucial decisions for the protection of our planet. The benchmarks for a strong outcome at this COP largely centre on the engagement taken by everyone in keeping the promises that are made. In the global stocktake, countries must demonstrate how they are delivering on their past pledges and showcase their stronger national climate plans for the years to come," said Ramkalawan. 

He said that the time for rhetoric and posturing is over and for COP28 to be a success, governments and others must be prepared to take definitive actions that benefit people, nature, and the climate. 

Ramkalawan acknowledged that despite the lack of action to meet the goals set out in the COP21 Paris Agreement, important progress had been made such as the recent operationalisation of the Loss and Damage Fund. 

He reminded the summit that globally, greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise and stressed the need for the world to change course and transition to a low-carbon global economy in the building of a more resilient planet. 

"Seychelles acknowledges that the Paris Agreement has spurred unprecedented global climate action since it entered into force. We have benefitted from the universal submission and enhancement of our NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution). Although a drastic and uneven increase in adaptation, planning and implementation, as well as the mobilization of climate finance this has began to spur mitigation actions and reach frontline coastal communities enduring the increasing impacts of climate change," said the President.

Ramkalawan with Ambassador Gervais Moumou at the high-level events. (State House) Photo License: CC-BY

Ramkalawan reiterated the urgent call for vulnerable countries like Seychelles, to access the concessionary funding required to achieve targets in its NDCs.

The G77 plus China was established on June 15, 1964, by 77 developing countries signing the "Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Developing Countries," issued at the end of the first session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva.

The head of state of Seychelles, an archipelago in the western Indian Ocean, also participated in high-level discussions and other side events.

In his capacity as chair of the African Island States Climate Commission, Ramkalawan delivered a statement at the African Union (AU) high-level side event on Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action System, held at the African Pavilion, Expo City in Dubai. 

"I would like to draw attention, once again, to the adverse impacts of the climate crisis on all African coastal nations. This crisis has far-reaching consequences on the sustainability of our island nations. Africa, despite being one of the least contributors to climate change, bears a disproportionate burden of its effects. Therefore, it is crucial to urge major emitters to develop more ambitious strategies and plans to ensure that the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius is achieved. We must keep 1.5 degrees alive at this COP," he said.

Ramkalawan also visited the Seychelles Pavilion being showcased as part of COP28 at Expo City in Dubai. During his tour, he met and interacted with some of the Seychellois participating in the conference.