This week the European Union provided 73,000,000.00 GMD (1,353,120 EUR) to fund a long term technical assistance team to work in support of the National Environment Agency and Department of Water Resources in mitigating the consequences of climate change and helping The Gambia to adapt to it. The contract will last for 36 months and provide capacity building and support to a range of climate mitigation and adaptation activities already underway as part of the European Union's 286,000,000.00 GMD (5.3 MEUR) Global Climate Change Alliance GCCA+ Climate Resilient Coastal and Marine Zone project.
Here in the Gambia climate change is definitely a contributing factor towards declines in agriculture and rural livelihoods and the country's coast and marine environment is fragile. These vulnerabilities increase the fragility of the most disadvantaged populations which over-exposes them to the consequences of the COVID19 pandemic.
While in developed countries the COVID-19 health crisis precedes the economic crisis, for many developing countries, such as The Gambia, the order is reversed. Some countries in Sub-Saharan Africa already face a massive flight of capital, a fall in income from tourism and agriculture, and a fall in remittances due to COVID-19. We have to address this robustly, and this is exactly what we do.
''There will be an after-Covid-19 in The Gambia as anywhere else in the world, and we need to get ready for it. Right now! The beautiful green nature of The Gambia is one of its main assets. It is in The Gambia’s interest that it not be spoiled, and that it be preserved from climate change. #TeamEurope wants to work hand in hands with The Gambia on this. There is only one future, and that is a sustainable and green future. Let’s go for a Green Gambia! '' – says the European Union Ambassador to the Republic of The Gambia, HE Attila LAJOS.
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