Climate change takes place at a time of an increasing demand for food, feed, fiber and fuel, and has the potential to irreversibly derail the world's commitment to community development, peace and prosperity.
Climate change threatens Africa's progress
Threatened with high temperatures, rising and encroaching sea levels, food insecurity, dwindling water supplies, extreme weather-related disasters, accelerated migration, poverty, and depleting energy resources, Africa is already suffering the ill effects of rising global warming and climate change.
The severe and extreme drought faced by the Horn of Africa region (including Somalia), described as the "worst humanitarian disaster", demonstrates the fact that the developing world faces greater climate change challenges than the developed world. Global warming and climate change are threatening Africa's political, economic and social progress. And ultimately the continent's attempts to build a strong and reputable Brand Africa, is undermined.
Brand Africa managed by foreigners
Despite Africa being described as the "The Last Big Emerging Market" with great economic opportunities, images of underdevelopment continue to dominate the perceptions of people inside and outside the continent. In the past, Brand Africa was promoted with influence, creativity, passion and sympathy by foreign countries, donor agencies and most prominently by aid celebrities such as Sir Bob Geldof and Sir Bono.
Such campaigns created a perception of a continent that is beyond hope, devastated by poverty, occupied by disease and death, engulfed in conflict and wars, plagued by corruption and incompetency, and has no coherent solutions to its challenges and aspirations. Read the full report here.
Source: by Thabani Khumalo, Biz Community.com.
