Africa Climate Summit: Immigration Officials Inspect JKIA As Nairobi Prepares To Host Over 30k Guests

• The Africa Climate Summit is set to be held in Nairobi between Monday, September 4, and Friday, September 8
• About 30,000 delegates are expected to be Kenya's capital for the summit that will be held at the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC)
• Roads and Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen was the JKIA to assess the preparations ahead of the international arrivals

Nairobi - Preparations for the highly anticipated Africa Climate Summit scheduled to run from Monday, September 4, to Friday, September 8, in Nairobi are in the final stages.

On Saturday, September 2, a team of Immigration officials led by Acting Director General for Immigration and Citizen Services Evelyn Cheluget inspected the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) which will be the main entry point for international guests.

Cheluget expressed satisfaction with the preparations put in place at East Africa’s largest airport ahead of a busy week.

“I am happy with the preparations and I would like to welcome all our visitors to Nairobi. I can assure them that they find first-class services here at JKIA and throughout their stay in Kenya,” said Cheluget.

Over 30, 000 delegates are expected to attend the summit that will be hosted at the historic Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) at the heart of Nairobi.

Why CS Murkomen was at JKIA

Consequently, proper preparations for this high-end function have been of utmost importance for the government of Kenya.

Earlier, Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen also visited the airport to check on preparations.

Murkomen, in a statement, directed Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) and JKIA management to ensure seamless operations at the airport to avoid inconveniencing visitors.

“I have instructed the management of Kenya Airports Authority led by the acting MD and JKIA to ensure that there is seamless facilitation of our visitors to ensure that the Summit is a success,” said Murkomen.

The CS recently fired KAA managing director Alex Gitari and replaced him with Fred Odawa after an abrupt power outage disrupted operations at the airport causing delays and massive losses.

Murkomen said the government has plans in place to revamp all the airports in the country to ensure services are up to standard at all times.

“We shall embark on major reforms and rehabilitation programs at JKIA, other airports and airstrips across the country.

Delegates attending the summit are expected to start streaming in on Saturday, September 2, evening.

During the function, African leaders will be called upon to sign commitments to invest resources in combating climate change on the continent under the “Pledging and Commitment Framework” that will serve as the guiding manual.

The Nairobi summit will build momentum for the UN Climate Change Conference COP 28 which will be held in Dubai from November 30 to December 12.

Why Carbon offsetting is key agenda at ACS

TUKO.co.ke understands that Carbon offsetting is increasingly becoming a focal source of climate finance and will be a key discussion point at the summit.

Meanwhile, with a focus on addressing climate change vulnerabilities, the Summit aims to inform, frame, and influence commitments and outcomes leading to the drafting of the Nairobi Declaration.

Discussions will centre around climate change adaptation, resilience, and solutions, particularly on nature-based approaches, sustainable agriculture, and catastrophe risk reduction activities.

Special Climate Envoy for Kenya Ali Mohamed said climate change is no longer an issue of them versus us, it's no longer an issue between the developed and the developing countries, and it's no longer an issue between North and South, East or West.

"Climate is an issue that affects us all in different ways," Mohamed said ahead of the summit.

Cabinet Secretary, Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry Soipan Tuya said the event emphasises a collective effort to combat climate change.

According to the CS, Africa's resources, coupled with technology and financing, can pave the way for climate change solutions.

"For the first time, Africa is looking at climate change with new eyes. It is not a summit of who emits more than the other. We either salvage together or lose together," Tuya said during a recent media briefing ahead of the Summit.