Chief Director of the Ministry of Environment, Science, and Technology, Mrs Cynthia Asare Bediako, has clarified that the government is not footing the travel bills of the 350 delegates attending the 27th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in Egypt.

According to Mrs Cynthia Asare Bediako, per reports from a state media house, development partners funded the majority of the delegation, which consisted of state and non-state actors.

She said “their funding is sourced from different agencies, including the Global Environment Facility- UNFCCC, World Bank, the Climate Vulnerability Forum, UNDP, and UNICEF,” while adding that “these agencies also sponsor some government of Ghana officials to participate in the conference.”

The Chief Director, however, noted that “delegates travelling on the government’s ticket are not many.”

Mrs Cynthia Asare Bediako explained that this is so because it is the responsibility of MESTI to coordinate and register persons attending the annual meeting.

At the Pre-COP Press Conference on November 3, 2022, the Minister for  Environment, Science, and Technology, Dr Kwaku Afriyie, revealed that 150 government staff members would attend the COP27.

President Akufo-Addo left Ghana on Saturday, November 5, 2022, to lead Ghana’s delegation to the World Leaders’ Summit of the United Nations COP 27.

He was accompanied by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey; the Minister for Energy, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor and officials of the Presidency and Foreign Ministry.

The COP 27 Summit, which is one of the largest gatherings of world leaders, brought parties together to accelerate actions towards the goals of the Paris Agreement of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

In his submission, President Akufo-Addo assured the global community of Ghana’s full commitment to increasing the country’s share of renewable energy in the energy mix.

“Ghana’s position on energy transition is to continue the responsible exploitation of our natural resources for our development and transition at our own pace. The Government of Ghana is mindful of the actions of the developed countries in relation to energy transition, and their effect on us,” the President added.

The summit, which began on November 6, was brought to a successful end on Tuesday, November 8, 2022.

The President will return to Ghana on Friday, November 11, 2022, after he chairs the High Level UN Security Council debate convened by Ghana, on November 10, 2022, as part of the programme of work for Ghana’s Presidency of the Council for the month of November.

Source: The Independent Ghana