The decision of several African governments to send sizable delegations to the COP28 climate conference in Dubai is being defended in the face of intense criticism.
According to the UN’s attendance list, the nations that sent the largest teams included Nigeria, Morocco, Kenya, Tanzania, Ghana, and Uganda.
Nigeria sent 1,411 people, Kenya sent 765, and Morocco sent 823.
As they represented the media, civil society organizations, and commercial institutions, representatives of Kenya and Nigeria claimed on Sunday that many of the delegates on their lists were not supported by the public.
Both countries also said that some of the listed delegates are participating remotely.
“As the biggest country in Africa, the biggest economy and one with a bigger stake in climate action as a country with a huge extractive economy, it is a no-brainer that delegates from Nigeria will be more than any other country in Africa,” a statement by an adviser of Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu said.
Hussein Mohammed, a spokesman for Kenya’s State House, told privately held Citizen TV that the figure was “exaggerated” because it only included people who had registered for the event rather than those who actually attended.
The remaining delegates were sponsored by other organizations, he said, and only 51 crucial delegates had been approved by the national government.
The Tanzanian government said in a statement that over 90% of the delegations traveling from the nation were supported by the private industry. (BBC)
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