Canada bolstering capacities of the Maldives delegation to the UNFCCC seeking effective climate diplomacy.
The Maldives Delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Canadian Technical Assistance team held their first climate diplomacy capacity building workshop in mid-May in Malé, Maldives to help enhance the delegation’s capacity to effectively engage in the upcoming global sessions in Bonn, Germany from June 6 to 16, 2023.
Jenn Hoffman, Canadian Capacity Development expert and Dr. Marco Heredia, Canadian Climate Diplomacy expert are coordinating the design and delivery of this important cooperative effort between Canada and the Government of the Maldives. The curriculum, which is being developed in collaboration with the Maldives Civil Service Training Institute (CSTI), will subsequently be taught by the CSTI to help train a new generation of climate negotiators.
Climate action is a shared priority for Canada and Maldives. In a video address to the participants, Maldives’ Minister of State Khadeeja Naseem underscored how “climate diplomacy plays a pivotal role for the Maldives in exercising leadership, communicating the urgency and effectiveness of climate action, stepping up efforts in mitigation and adaptation, and effectively addressing loss and damage due to climate anomalies.”
The Head of Cooperation at the High Commission of Canada to Sri Lanka and Maldives, Linda Ehrichs, also noted that “Small Island Developing States like Maldives are the most vulnerable to climate change and that it is important that their voices be heard during climate negotiations” adding that it is “a pleasure to support the deployment of Canadian experts to train Maldivian climate negotiators.”
Global Affairs Canada through the Technical Assistance Program – Expert Deployment Mechanism implemented by Alinea International, works collaboratively with the Government of Maldives’ Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Technology (MECCT) as the sponsor of this salient initiative which seeks to sustain greater participation of women and youth in international negotiations to integrate their views and experience, redoubling efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and to effectively adapt to climate change.
More information on this initiative Climate Diplomacy in the Maldives
