With the wake of Cyclone Idai still heavy in the air, Mozambique suffered a double blow from Cyclone Kenneth only a month later in late April. The Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland, has therefore added her voice to the need for drastic climate change. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by Cyclone Kenneth in Mozambique, the strongest cyclone yet to have hit the country. Its occurrence, so soon after Cyclone Idai, signals a troubling increase in the frequency of such natural disasters, and the urgent and fundamental need to build resilience at all levels in our communities,” she notes. “We must remain vigilant and continue to work together with ever-increasing determination and vigour in order to respond to the existential threat that we now face as a result of the rapidly changing climate. “We have already started our holistic regenerative programme of work under our Common Earth and Blue Charter banners, but we will do more. Together, we must wake up to these developments and mobilise to address the reality of climate change,” she has urged. “The Commonwealth will continue to support its member countries to develop robust policies, and help them gain access to funding to address climate-related disasters through the Disaster Risk Finance Portal and the Climate Finance Access Hub,” Scotland assures. “The Commonwealth stands ready to support the Government and people of Mozambique in any way it can, as they rebuild their lives and livelihoods. I would like to commend all those institutions, both public and private and all the countries within our Commonwealth family and beyond who have rallied to Mozambique’s support after Cyclone Idai and urge them to redouble their efforts in the face of the devastation caused by Cyclone Kenneth,” she concludes. Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ