COP21: UN chief hails new climate change agreement as 'monumental triumph'

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (second left); Christiana Figueres (right), Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC); Laurent Fabius (second right), Minister for Foreign Affairs of France and President of the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris (COP21) and Franois Hollande (right), President of France celebrate

 Following the adoption on 12 December 2015 of the new Paris Agreement on climate change, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said government representatives made history today.

    “The Paris Agreement is a monumental triumph for people and our planet,” said Mr. Ban in a tweet, immediately following its adoption. “It sets the stage for progress in ending poverty, strengthening peace and ensuring a life of dignity and opportunity for all.”

    Gaveling the Agreement with a green hammer, the French Foreign Minister and President of COP21, Laurent Fabius, announced the historic news – a moment greeted with loud applause and cheers, as the room stood up. Many delegates hugged, while others had tears in their eyes.

    For the first time today, 195 Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – pledged to curb emissions, strengthen resilience and joined to take common climate action. This followed two weeks of tireless negotiations at the United Nations climate change conference (COP21).

    The Paris Agreement and the outcomes of COP21 cover all the crucial areas identified as essential for a landmark conclusion: mitigation – reducing emissions fast enough to achieve the temperature goal; a transparency system and global stock-take – accounting for climate action; adaptation – strengthening ability of countries to deal with climate impacts; loss and damage – strengthening ability to recover from climate impacts; and support – including finance, for nations to build clean, resilient futures.

   “In the face of an unprecedented challenge, you have demonstrated unprecedented leadership,” the UN chief said taking the COP21 stage just minutes later. “You have worked collaboratively to achieve something that no one nation could achieve alone. This is a resounding success for multilateralism.”

    Recalling that he made climate change one of the defining priorities of his tenure as Secretary-General, Mr. Ban said that most of all, he has listened to people – the young, the poor and the vulnerable, including indigenous peoples, from every corner of the globe.

  “They seek protection from the perils of a warming planet, and the opportunity to live in a safer, more bountiful world,” he underlined. “They have demanded that world leaders act to safeguard their well-being and that of generations to come.”

   Turning to the agreement itself, the Secretary-General said negotiators reached “solid results on all key points,” with an agreement that demonstrates solidarity and “is ambitious, flexible, credible and durable.”

   “All countries have agreed to hold global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees Celsius. And recognizing the risk of grave consequences, you have further agreed to pursue efforts to limit temperature increase to 1.5 degrees,” he announced.

   In addition, a review mechanism has been established whereby every five years, beginning in 2018, Parties will regularly review what is needed in line with science.

  “Governments have agreed to binding, robust, transparent rules of the road to ensure that all countries do what they have agreed across a range of issues,” Mr. Ban added.

   Meanwhile, highlighting the role of the private sector, the UN chief said business leaders came to Paris in unprecedented numbers and that “powerful” climate solutions are already available while many more are to come. 

  “With these elements in place, markets now have the clear signal they need to unleash the full force of human ingenuity and scale up investments that will generate low-emissions, resilient growth,” he said, adding that “what was once unthinkable has now become unstoppable.”

  “When historians look back on this day, they will say that global cooperation to secure a future safe from climate change took a dramatic new turn here in Paris,” Mr. Ban stated. “Today, we can look into the eyes of our children and grandchildren, and we can finally say, tell them that we have joined hands to bequeath a more habitable world to them and to future generations.”

    Ending his remarks, the UN chief said that all Parties should be proud of the Paris Agreement and that “the work starts tomorrow.”

   “For today, congratulations again on a job well done,” he concluded. “Let us work together, with renewed commitment, to make this a better world.”

   Addressing the hundreds of delegates, Christiana Figueres, the Executive Secretary of UNFCCC, said “we did it in Paris.”

“We have made history together. It is an agreement of conviction. It is an agreement of solidarity with the most vulnerable. It is an agreement of long-term vision, for we have to turn this agreement into an engine of safe growth,” she exclaimed.

   Several other top UN officials joined the Secretary-General in welcoming the new Agreement. This included the President of the UN General Assembly, Mr. Mogens Lykketoft.

  “Today's agreement signals nothing less than a renaissance for humankind as we collectively embrace the global challenge of climate change and endeavor to transition to a more sustainable way of living that respects the needs of people and our planet,” Mr. Lykketoft said in a statement.

   Echoing this message, the President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), Oh Joon, said the world has reached a key milestone in collective action for sustainable development.

   “Bold action against climate change will contribute to poverty reduction. The United Nations Economic and Social Council will take part in follow-up efforts,” he added.

   Earlier today, at a meeting of the Committee of Paris [Comité de Paris] – the body which is overseeing the negotiations at COP21 – the UN chief spoke alongside the President of France, François Hollande as well Minister Fabius.

“The end is in sight. Let us now finish the job. The whole world is watching. Billions of people are relying on your wisdom,” the Secretary-General had told delegates.

   In an emotional address during which he held back tears, Laurent Fabius said the agreement “will serve meaningful causes, food safety and security, public health, the fight against poverty and for essential rights, and therefore peace.”

  “People worldwide, our citizens, our children, wouldn't understand if we didn't adopt it and wouldn't forgive us,” he insisted.

“It is rare to be given the opportunity to change the world,” said President François Hollande, wrapping up the meeting. “You have the opportunity to do that"

Courtesy:United Nations News Centre

---

CAMEROON:THE SENATE FLOUTS THE CONSTITUTION

By AYAH Paul ABINE*

It is now a notorious fact that the Camerounese senate refuses every year to defend their budget before the national assembly on the pretext that they are the upper chamber of the House. Unbelievable misconduct by persons said to be HONOURABLE!

Cameroun is truly at precarious cross-roads today! Just a timid whirlwind and it could be plunged into the abyss of fatal chaos. Delicately sustained only by a flimsy legal string; and having traversed sporadic inroads through to wanton comportment of riddance, it is as if the present generations have arrogated to themselves the right to be final…

Cameroun, without doubt, has never been the bedrock of the rule of law. But things have dangerously degenerated into the point where even the judiciary appears to be on the verge of declaring themselves irrelevant! That is of course only a logical queue-up, subsequent to the shameless breaking of the law by the very law-makers: the senate trampling underfoot with hollow majesty the country’s constitution – the fundamental law of the land…

But who can bring their minds to this outrageous conduct of the so-high? As if they have reversed their much-talked-about “the truth and the good example (coming) from the top”! Dumping the constitution in the waste basket in manner most irresponsible!

Could someone simplify it for the comprehension of our “honourable senators” that justice begets peace; and that justice is being amenable to the law, or compulsion to be amenable to the law? Could some learned person inform the senators that, by the constitution in force, the national assembly has exclusive jurisdiction to enact the finance law? May I pray some jurist to teach our senators that their immunity shall be lifted some day for them to face trial for embezzlement: spending public funds without proper appropriation by the national assembly?

Let it be known that the constitution took cognizance that the senate does not enjoy the full mandate of the people since some senators are appointed. That is why the passing of the appropriation Bill is within the exclusive jurisdiction of the national assembly. It is an exception to the general rule that parliament legislates (the two chambers). Such exclusiveness is attired in the rule couched in borrowed legal jargon that “generalibus specialibus non derogant”.

One can state with some reasonable degree of confidence that it is in superfluity that, after the national assembly has enacted the finance law, the enactment is still sent to the senate for reading. This is inconsistent with the constitution which is unambiguous that the senate does not have concurrent jurisdiction in the enactment of the finance law.

It goes without saying then that, by failing to defend their appropriation before the national assembly, the senate has no approved budget as required by the constitution, and, therefore, spending what has not been enacted by the national assembly as per the constitution amounts to the felony of misappropriation... Let the wheel of fortune continue to turn!

It shall stop turning some day, perhaps not so far off!

*Ayah Paul Abine is Deputy Attorney -General,Supreme Court of Cameroon.

Nigerians:Cameroon troops burned our village, forced us out

Nigerian refugees say Cameroon troops burned their village, stole livestock, forced them out 

  By Michelle Faul

Soldiers screen newly arrived displaced people at Furore camp in Yola, Nigeria. Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2015, who claim were chased out of their villages by Cameroon troops. Cameroonian troops crossed the border into Nigeria, killing and pillaging and ordering people to abandon their villages, according to hundreds of survivors arriving at a refugee transit center after walking for days. (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba

 FUFORE, Nigeria (AP) -- Cameroonian troops crossed the border into Nigeria, killed about 150 villagers, burned their huts and forced them to flee, Nigerian refugees said Tuesday after walking for days to reach a refugee center.

    Cameroon's government denied the charges, that come amid growing tensions between Nigeria and its neighbors over the Boko Haram Islamic uprising that has spilled over Nigeria's borders.

Farmer Mariamu Abubakar said Cameroonian soldiers on Nov. 30 killed about 150 people in his village near Nigeria's Banki border post, stole their livestock and set their huts ablaze.

     He was among 643 refugees who arrived Monday night at Adamawa's Fufore transit center. Soldiers who screened them said they came from Gamboru to Banki, a 150-kilometer (95-mile) stretch along Nigeria's border with Cameroon.

      While it is unclear who attacked whom and why, it is "a real humanitarian disaster," said David Miliband, the visiting president of the New York-based International Rescue Committee. "They are unable to go home because it's not yet safe and because they fear for their lives."

Nigeria's petroleum minister said last week he expects a major oil discovery soon in the Lake Chad Basin, likely to fuel more border conflicts in the northeastern part of Nigeria that joins Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

     Earlier Tuesday, Gov. Bindow Jibrilla of Nigeria's northeastern Adamawa State accused Nigeria's neighbors of sending their nationals into his state disguised as refugees. Jibrilla told reporters he didn't know why it was happening but that there were thousands.

    Cameroon said its troops fighting "in synergy" with Nigerian soldiers carried out a "coordinated operation" on several border villages around Lake Chad Nov. 27 to Nov. 29. It said they freed at least 900 people held by Boko Haram extremists.

"We have a highly trained military that respect human rights," said Cameroon government spokesman Issa Tchiroma Bakary. He denied Cameroon has forcefully evicted Nigerian refugees though Nigerian officials have reported receiving several thousand in recent months.

UN Sensitizes UB Community on Violence against Women

Family photo after University of Buea  conference on Gender Equality organised by UN Women Cameroon/Photo credit:C. Ambe/The Recorder

By Christopher Ambe      

 The University of Buea (UB) last Friday played host to successful round-table discussion on Violence Against Women, which saw the active participation of not students, the administrative and teaching staff of the Anglo-saxon university but also of students of nearby colleges, as well as women of the Molyko neighborhood.

    The event, dubbed “16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence” had as theme “From Peace in the home to Peace in the World: Make education safe for All”.

    The interactive gender-based round table conference, which took place at the Amphi 250 of UB, was opened by the Vice-Chancellor Dr. Nalova Lyonga, who noted that the whole world is threatened by violence. She regretted that women as well as men perpetuate violence.

    Condemning violence against women, the Vice-Chancellor said that, one in three women in the world will suffer in their life time. She said it was high time gender equality and equity was embraced by all and sundry. The don emphasized that the woman is at the centre of all humanity and human development and must always be acknowledged.

   “Why is it that the world is so happy in causing violence against women?” she asked rhetorically.

    For her part, Madam Moffah Judith, Southwest Regional Delegate for Women Empowerment and the Family, outlined some of the measures taken by the Cameroon Government to promote gender equality and equity as well as to check violence against women.

    Madam Moffah called on female students to take their education more seriously-because a well-educated woman is self-assertive and can defend her rights. She warned female students against “sexually transmitted marks”, a vice that is said to be common in university milieus.

    The Delegate implored the womenfolk to report cases of violence against them to the appropriate quarters for sanctions to be meted out against perpetrators.

     Taking the floor, Julie Mballa, coordinator of the UN Gender Thematic Group in Yaounde, said the UN does much to ensure gender equality in education; that the UN has always been supportive of the Cameroon Government and can only support what the Government. She said UN carries out activities in the field such as training sessions, conducts surveys, work at refugee camps.

Cross-section of female  participants at the conference of  Violence Against Women on University of Buea campus.Photo credit:Chris Ambe/The Recorder

Julie Mballa, who appreciated the active participation of students in the round-table discussion, told the conference: “We are here to collect your suggestions and recommendations to make gender-equality a reality in Cameroon”

    Professor Joyce Endeley, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor of UB, commenting on the topic of discussion, emphasized that, in approaching gender equality in education, there is that great need to accept diversity and difference

“Women face violence but unfortunately the system in which we bring them up makes them more of perpetrators than victims”, remarked Professor Joyce Endeley, who had been head of the Department of Women and Gender Studies, University of Buea.

She opined that all teachers training colleges in Cameroon, for example, should have gender policies.

     Fajong Joseph Lereh, National Communication Expert, UN Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women( also known as UN Women Cameroon) told The Recorder on the sidelines of the conference:

“We are representing the entire UN System in Cameroon in this activism because the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based violence is a global campaign. It involves the UN System, The Government of Cameroon through the Ministry of Women Empowerment and the Family and through civil society organizations”

     Fajong expressed satisfaction at turnout, noting that   “we are happy that Vice –Chancellor of University of Buea not only opened the discussion, but sat through and actively participated in the discussion”.

It was agreed that cooperation between the University of Buea and UN Entity and should be reinforced.

 Fajong Joseph Lereh of  UN Women (in suit) exhibiting UN books at UB/photo credit:C. Ambe/The Recorder

    Inspired by the lively discussion, the Vice-chancellor appealed to Dr. Christine Abonge, Head of Department of Women and Gender Studies (WGS) of same institution to come up with projects that can specifically address women’s concerns on campus .Dr. Abonge had talked about gender-based violence in University of Buea

   “We are happy that our objectives were achieved”, Fajong told the press at the end of the conference. “We are going back to Yaoundé to inform the entire UN system that we had a successful event”

    The round table was moderated by Zoneziwoh M.W of Women for Action Cameroon (WFAC), which is a UN implementing partner.

    Other highlights of the ceremony included UN book exhibition.

At Maiden Conference of Community of Hashem Female Association: Cohen Gadol urges Cameroon women to be committed nation-builders

Cohen Gadol cheers-up Female choristers at Tiko Synagogue,Cameroon

By Christopher Ambe

The world-wide General Overseer/Cohen Gadol of the Holy Sabbath of Christ the King International, Ben Aaron Chidi Ebene Amakaeze has challenged Cameroon women to become models of nation-building.

Cohen Gadol Amakaeze threw the challenge on November 22 at the maiden Annual Conference of Community of Hashem Female Association (CHFA), which  held in Douala, under the theme”Empowering Women to meet up with the Modern Society”.

     “Cameroon women, you must be exemplary in the task of nation-building. Through women nations are built. In my area they say a woman is a house or a home. A beautiful woman builds a house whereas the foolish one destroys it,” the Cohen Gadol told the conference.

    The conference assembled both Cameroonian women and foreigners-in their tens, who are members of the Holy Sabbath of Christ the King International Ministry;they listened to various presentations on how to empower themselves and make a difference in society.

    Cohen Gadol Amakaeze, who was on  a more than one week pastoral visit to Cameroon ,as guest speaker during the one-day conference, strongly called on the women to become more and more knowledgeable.

    But because the “Kind of knowledge you have will determine the kind of person you will be”, the Overseer recommended to them only positive knowledge, which produces development, as opposed to negative knowledge which produces underdevelopment and stagnation.

   “If you are fed with positive knowledge you will develop; likewise if you are fed with negative knowledge, you will retrogress”, the Minister of God told the conference.

    He noted:”The Bible is the source and origin of knowledge because, the Originator of life (God) put His ideas expressing how His creatures and creation can grow and develop through a blueprint called the bible”

Revisiting the story of creation in the Bible,the  Cohen Gadol said it is necessary to“empower a woman, because empowering a woman is indirectly empowering a man; an empowered woman gives a powerful assistance to a man”

 Holy Sabbath women at the conference 

     He urged the women “to strive to have good knowledge because it is what a person has that he gives. Cameroon women must seek for knowledge from today, for the best thing in life is not money but knowledge”

    The participants were told by the Cohen Gadol to distance themselves from people who have no sense of direction.

In his remarks, conference Chairman Elder Abraham Val Molulu -who is also CHFA Patron Cameroon Nation, said the women’s meeting came shortly after a maiden conference for the empowerment of youths.

    Stressing the importance of coming together, he announced that henceforth such conferences would be held quarterly. He noted that to empower a community all aspects of the community must be catered for.

Although the President of the Community of Hashem Female Association (CHFA), Mother G.B.Amakaeze was not present at the Cameroon conference, her written address was presented by Mother Saraphine Nwosu on her behalf.

   Mother G.B.Amakaeze recalled that CHFA had held several central conferences in Enugu, Nigeria with only a few Cameroon women in attendance and was happy the conference was now in Cameroon so that many women would benefit from its lessons.

     According to her, “The aim of these conferences is  to reach out to women and empower them through capacity building that enable them face and overcome various societal challenges..”

She added that CHFA activities include: humanitarian services, games and health programs, guidance and counseling, leadership training, synagogue representative forums.

    Mother G.B.Amakaeze told the women: “We must understand that this association cannot grow without our collective efforts. Let us work together in order to experience unequalled growth right from our families to our synagogues and community at large. The new policy of the community is to help us raise funds to help us develop the community to the needed standard where the Lord will use the community to speak to the world.

   “The Community cannot be the best if we are not the best. Therefore, we have to strive for excellence,” Mother G.B.Amakaeze told the conference.

    Earlier in her welcome address, CHFA Representative Cameroon nation, Mother UNA Okorie,said the presence of Cohen Gadol as  Guest speaker was eloquent testimony of the love he has for the Community of Hashem Cameroon Nation.

She also  commended Mother Jemimah Eya Arrey,who began CHFA in Cameroon and “did a lot during her tenure of office by taking women to feasts for worship, prayers and to compete in various women activities with CHFA Nigeria, hence winning a lot of prizes and gifts as was the case last Passover 2015”.

   She said Mother Jemimah Eya Arrey who has been instrumental in the growth of the Holy Sabbath church in Cameroon, was succeeded by Mother Ekoko Martha during whose tenure Cameroon zone was raised to CHFA Cameroon Nation.

   Mother UNA Okorie said CHFA is an enviable umbrella with Mother-General G.B Amakeze as president. According to Okorie, the Mother-general has opened the eyes of many women to elements of empowerment.

Sabbatherians dancing to glorify  God  at Tiko Synagogue

According to her,“CHFA Cameroon Nation hopes to provide its members with a blend of quality, intellectual development, opportunity for self-discovery and self-actualization of their dreams, knowledge and display of wisdom for the good of our families, association and society at large"

    Papers presented during the conference included:”Women Leaders, Skills and Behaviors” by Deaconess Sarah J. Molulu; “The role of CHFA women in the face of Modern Challenges” by Mother Martha Ekoko.

   As a prelude to the conference proper ,CHFA Cameroon Nation was engaged in a series of activities  which included but not limited to  combined Sabbath Worship at Ngodi Mission Douala;debate (on ‘Man or woman: who is the backbone of the family?);workshops on house-keeping and décor; Healthy and Natural food production techniques; local herbs and their uses.

     At the end of the conference, participants expressed satisfaction.

For example, Chairman Molulu said the turnout was quite impressive, especially as some participants not only came from across Cameroon but from Nigeria.

   To Mother M.F. UNA Okorie,CHFA Representative Cameroon nation: “The turnout of women was encouraging and the conference ended without any problems”

   The Cohen Gadol had this remark: “Cameroon is a blessed nation .What we have seen today is a combination of the culture of the people of Cameroon and how they have been able to package it for the world to see. I must say that all the conferences I have attended this one by Cameroon Nation has done far better than expected. What we have seen here are women who are have the capacities and are capable of building.”

Some Douala Conference women in family photo

The Cohen Gadol rounded up his pastoral visit to Cameroon on November 28, 2015 with a divine service at the newly constructed multi-million Fcfa Holy Sabbath Synagogue in Tiko (near Tiko Airport), christened Mount Olive Synagogue.

   The Tiko synagogue, described as the best in Cameroon, had personally been dedicated to the worship of the Almighty God by the Cohen Gadol on March 7, 2015.

That same March he had also laid the foundation stone of the Ben Aaron Scriptural College in Bwiteva-Buea Subdivision.

    It should be noted that the Holy Sabbath of Christ the king is a Jewish church, which originated from Israel and what they practice is called Judaism.

    The Holy Sabbath Church was founded in 0ctober 1960 in Nigeria. The Church moved to Cameroon in 1990 and this far has more than 20 branch synagogues with thousands of members.

-------------------------------------------------------------------