Nairobi — President William Ruto is on Saturday scheduled to participate in the ongoing summit of the Three Basins, Biodiversity Ecosystems, and Tropical Forests (S3B EBFT) in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo, alongside fellow Heads of State.
Emmanuel Talam, the Press Secretary at the Presidential Communication Service (PCS), confirmed to Capital News that President Ruto departed the country on Friday evening to be part of the conference.
“Yes, the President is currently in Congo for the Summit,” Talam said.
37 countries are participating in the Summit which is centered on three primary objectives: safeguarding and rejuvenating tropical forests, advancing sustainable development, and reinforcing international collaboration on climate change.
The Summit began on October 26, 2023, and will conclude on Saturday.
Denis Sassou-Nguesso, the President of the Republic of Congo and Chair of the Congo Basin Climate Commission, is presiding over the conference.
He has urged for worldwide unity in response to the environmental and climate crisis that poses a significant threat to our invaluable planet.
“In these critical times, we must act together and with determination to preserve the 350 million hectares of tropical forests, which represent a colossal investment of 1 trillion dollars according to United Nations experts’ estimates,” he said.
The gathering has convened a significant number of participants primarily hailing from the Amazon, Congo, and Borneo-Mekong basins, regions that collectively oversee more than 80 percent of the world’s tropical forests.
Notably, Summit leaders have already reached a consensus to establish a global coalition dedicated to the protection and regeneration of tropical forests.
President Ruto’s presence at the Summit follows his hosting of the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi just a month ago, where, among other commitments, leaders resolved to achieve a 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
President Ruto is the current Climate Change Ambassador for Africa having been appointed to the position in January 2023 by the African Union (AU).
The Summit’s convergence was spurred by the need for leaders from tropical forest nations to collaborate in safeguarding their forests and addressing the challenges of climate change.
President Ruto’s participation in the Congo Summit has been overshadowed by discussions about his frequent international trips, particularly at a time when his administration is grappling with the task of stabilizing the economy.
The journey to Congo marks the 39th foreign trip for President Ruto, despite his expressed commitment to reduce the number of overseas visits undertaken by his office and the broader Executive arm of government.
on Friday, President Ruto declared that his office had reduced the budget by a sum of Sh11 billion.
“I saw that the media saying I reduced the budget by Sh500 million. No, it is not 500 million but I have reduced by Sh11 billion for those going on those trips,” Ruto said.