Jacqueline Amongin elected as General Secretary of Africa Network of Parliamentarians on Climate Change

By Lawrence Okwakol 

Jcqueline Amongin, the former Ngora woman member of parliament and one of the Uganda’s representatives to the East African legislative assembly has been elected as to be secretary general of  the African Network of Parliamentarians on Climate Change. Over 100 Members of Parliament from regional and national parliaments across Africa with  the power of votes mandated Amongin to the post in their the conference held at the Ivory Coast capitol city of Abidjan.

The African Network of  parliamentarians on Climate Change is an initiative aimed at strengthening parliamentary engagement on climate change at both national and international levels jointly supported by UN economic commission for Africa and the African Union.As climate change continues to pose a significant threat to the continent’s agriculture, food security, and livelihoods, this network is expected to play a crucial role in addressing these challenges through legislative action and policy making.

In her acceptance speech, Amongin expressed her gratitude for the trust placed in her by her counterparts.”I will  commit myself to collaborate with national, regional, and continental parliaments to tackle climate change through legislation and policy development,” Amongin said. She  emphasized the importance of addressing the legislative gaps that exist in various African countries regarding climate change.

“Our pivot role as parliamentarians is critical in ensuring that we have the right legal frameworks and policies to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change. I am committed to networking with all the national, regional, and continental parliaments to build the capacity of MPs in this area for more effective regulations and meaningful engagement,” she said.

Amongin’s election comes at a time when Africa is experiencing increasing climate-related challenges, from severe droughts and desertification to flooding and food insecurity.

By leading the African Network of Parliamentarians on Climate Change, she will spearhead efforts to ensure that parliamentarians are well-equipped to craft and implement legislation that responds to the continent’s climate needs.

The election also reflects a growing recognition of the role parliamentarians can play in climate action.
By fostering collaboration across borders, the network aims to ensure that Africa’s legislative bodies are active participants in global climate change discussions and initiatives, furthering the continent’s climate agenda.

As the newly elected Secretary-General, Hon. Amongin Jacqueline is expected to lead the network in its efforts to build a more sustainable and climate-resilient Africa.Jacob Opolot Mooka the former member of parliament for Pallisa county and currently the member of the education service commission said Amongin was competent for the office given her abilities and activeness.Opolot said Amongin’s election is a big challenge to Uganda because where the general secretary comes from should be exemplary.
Abram Omasai the Pallisa district senior environmental officer said the good practices of climate change mitigation include reducing greenhouse gas emissions and slow down global warming.

Omasai said Africa should adopt to use renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, hydro electricity use, Carbon capture and storage (CCS),sustainable land use which includes afforestation, reforestation, agroforestry, Soil carbon sequestration (regenerative agriculture),Ocean fertilization (adding nutrients to oceans to boost phytoplankton growth) and waste  reduction and management (recycling, composting) Sustainable water management (efficient use, conservation ,Climate-smart agriculture (adaptation and resilience ,reducing non-CO2 greenhouse gases (methane, nitrous oxide, fluorinated gases and above all 

Moses Tukei, an engineer from Mukongoro in Kumi district said international cooperation and climate governance actors should carry out research and develop onew mitigation technologies

Tukei called upon Amongin to get in touch with awareness and behavior change.