#Brussels, November 14, 2019 – Belgium – Vulnerable areas in the Africa Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States must collectively and urgently intensify its response to the climate emergency Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis told ACP Ambassadors today.
The
Prime Minister made the plea while addressing the 925th Meeting of
the Committee of Ambassadors of the ACP at ACP House on Thursday 14 November.
Pointing
to the Category 5 Hurricane Dorian that destroyed swathes of Abaco and Grand
Bahama, and the Category 3 tropical Cyclone Idai – one of the worst storms to
hit the African nations of Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi – Prime Minister
Minnis said the impact of the global climate emergency is especially felt in
the most vulnerable areas of the ACP, including the Caribbean region.
“The
most recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Special Report recognizes
that the choices we make now will dictate how we are affected by and respond to
more storms like Hurricane Dorian and Idai,” said the Prime Minister.
Researchers
have concluded that the largest and most damaging hurricanes are now three
times more frequent than they were 100 years ago, and have determined that
there is a correlation between the intense storms and increased global warming,
said Prime Minister. Minnis.
“We
are painfully aware of the warnings of the impact of climate change on all of
our states, including rising sea levels and the threats to agriculture and
fisheries,” said the Prime Minister.
Initial
assessment by the Inter-American Development Bank and ECLAC on the effects and
impact of Hurricane Dorian estimated total damages at $2.4 billion, with an
additional cost estimated to be $200 million and losses of over $700 million.
The
Bahamian economy was expected to grow by 2.2 percent in 2019. Following the
catastrophic storm, the projected GDP growth rate is now 1.1 percent, said the
Prime Minister.
Prime
Minister Minnis noted the ACP’s plans to highlight the concerns of the Small
Island Developing States (SIDS) at its upcoming Ninth Summit of ACP Heads of
State and Government in December in Nairobi, Kenya.
The
ACP is pushing to ensure that its development partners are sensitized to the
particular vulnerabilities faced by SIDS, including recent developments in
international trade and finance and the frequency of destructive weather
events.
Prime
Minister Minnis thanked the ACP Secretary-General Dr. Patrick I. Gomes and
member-states of the ACP for its expressions of solidarity and support in the
aftermath of Hurricane Dorian.
The
Prime Minister also reiterated the commitment of The Bahamas to the ideals and
objectives of the ACP since its inception in 1975.
“This
commitment has recently manifested itself in the establishment of our opening
of an embassy here in Belgium, as we seek to further engage and strengthen
cooperation among our fellow member-states and our European Union partners,”
said the Prime Minister.
The
new Bahamas Ambassador to Belgium, H.E. Maria O’Brien, serves on the ACP Caribbean
Bureau of Ambassadors.
In
his thank you remarks, the Dean of the Committee of Ambassadors, H.E. Mr.
Daniel Evina Abe’e of Cameroon, commended Prime Minister Minnis on the Bahamian
government’s response to Hurricane Dorian.
Prime
Minister Minnis said that through the implementation of a number of measures to
bring relief and to stimulate rebuilding and restoration, including the
creation of a new Ministry for Disaster Preparedness, Management and
Reconstruction, The Bahamas is making significant strides in providing
stability and some sense of normalcy to the lives of those affected.
“I
appeal to our international partners and friends to continue to accompany us as
we continue the formidable task of recovery and reconstruction and to rebuild
with resilience,” said the Prime Minister.
Release: Office of the Prime Minister
Commonwealth of The Bahamas