William Ruto Warns COP28 Of Ongoing Floods In Eastern Africa After Making U-turn On El Nino

• On October 22, 2023, President William Ruto said the Kenya Meteorological Department had cut back its El Nino alert to short rains
• But addressing the ongoing United Nations Climate Summit in Dubai, Ruto said that "all of us are already living in this dire reality
• According to President Ruto, beyond mere logistical challenges, the devastation further complicates the daily struggle for survival

Dennis Lubanga, a Kenyan journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than 10 years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Dubai - President William Ruto has lamented the ongoing heavy rains in Kenya and parts of the Horn of Africa region.

On October 22, Ruto said the Kenya Meteorological Department had cut back its El Nino alert to short rains.

But addressing the ongoing United Nations Climate Summit in Dubai, Ruto said that "all of us are already living in this dire reality.

"Kenya has been besieged by relentless torrents that have claimed lives and displaced countless communities. The ensuing injury, loss, and damage extend beyond immense human toll, to the destruction of vital infrastructure and the disruption of critical supply chains across many vital sectors," said Ruto.

How climate change has affected Horn of Africa

According to Ruto, beyond mere logistical challenges, the devastation further complicates the daily struggle for survival for many households and communities.

"The situation in our Horn of Africa region, like in many other developing countries, lays bare the harsh reality of climate change," he added.

This, the Kenyan leader observed, is a poignant reminder of its disproportionate impact and a call to action for all of us to mobilise rapidly to address this imbalance with urgency, solidarity, and inclusivity.

Why African leaders are in Dubai

President Ruto said that African heads of state and governments were attending COP28 because they were convinced of their collective ability to effect change.

"Our mission for this COP is clear: to foster radical cooperation that steers the world firmly back onto a 1.5-degree Celsius ceiling. Equally critically, we are here to affirm our commitment to provide robust support to those of us who have contributed least to climate change, yet bear its most catastrophic impacts," President Ruto added.

Earlier, TUKO.co.ke reported that United Nations secretary-general Antonio Guterres urged global leaders to help cure the devastating effects of climate change.

Speaking on Friday, November 1, when he officially opened the 2023 United Nations Climate Summit in Dubai, Guterres observed that the earth’s vital signs are failing: record emissions, ferocious fires, deadly droughts, and the hottest year ever.

Guterres observed that world leaders have the technologies to avoid the worst of climate chaos.