(17 December 2009)

 African civil society has condemned the proposed appeal by PM of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi with French President, Nicolas Sarkozy. In proposing such an appeal, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is undermining the bold positions of our negotiators and ministers represented here, and threatening the very future of Africa.

We, the African civil society attending the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, condemn the proposed appeal by Meles Zenawi with French President, Nicolas Sarkozy. In proposing such an appeal, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi is undermining the bold positions of our negotiators and ministers represented here, and threatening the very future of Africa.

The appeal, if followed, would:

* Threaten Africa with catastrophic damage by allowing warming to rise by 2 degrees C globally and therefore by around 3.5 degrees on the continent of Africa. It risks the lives and livelihoods of literally hundreds of millions of people, including the people of Ethiopia;

* Allocate to the industrialized countries including France atmospheric space worth more than 10 trillion dollars between now and 2050, denying it to developing countries, and threatening Africa's prospects of economic and social development and the alleviation of poverty; and

* Offer a mere 10 billion in financing for all developing countries in fast-start funding.

"The IPCC science is clear – 2 degrees is 3.5 degrees in Africa – this is death to millions of Africans" said Mithika Mwenda of Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance.

"If Prime Minister Meles wants to sell out the lives and hopes of Africans for a pittance – he is welcome to – but that is not Africa's position" Mithika Mwenda.

"Every other African country has committed to policy based on the science. That means at least 45% cuts by rich countries by 2020 and it means $400 billion fast-track finance not $10 billion" said Augustine Njamnshi of Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance.

"You cannot say you are proposing a 'solution' to climate change if your solution will see millions of Africans die and if the poor not the polluters keep paying for climate change" said Augustine Njamnshi.

We condemn the government of France and other developed countries for engaging in "divide and rule" tactics designed to subjugate Africa and undermine good faith negotiations in the United Nations. We call on the people of France to join with the people in Africa to condemn this appeal.

We call on President Meles Zenawi to rescind the appeal or to step down as Coordinator of African Heads of State and Governments on Climate Change.

Pan-African Climate Justice Alliance