Join For Water is attending the climate conference. Our director Bart Dewaele is part of the official Belgian delegation and, as an observer, is able to attend many official negotiations. You can read his opinion piece from 12 November here and from 17 November here. Below you will find Bart’s latest contribution, straight from Brazil.
Climate conference in Brazil: update
During COP30, a meeting took place with Doumbia Mariam Tangara, the Malian Minister of Environment, Sanitation and Sustainable Development. Also present were the ministry’s most senior civil servant, the communications officer and two of the minister’s technical advisers, including one on gender issues. Our country manager for Mali, Bintou Traoré, also participated virtually.
Join For Water explained the activities we are currently carrying out in Mali and why our presence at the COP is important. We asked the minister for advice on future priorities regarding water and climate. Her answer was clear: we must continue to build on what we are doing today, because it is considered very relevant, but we can also do this in closer cooperation with the national Ministry of Environment in the future. The minister proposed concluding a cooperation agreement in the future with two pillars: cooperation on concrete projects and financing, and policy exchange in which Join For Water brings in the perspective of the grassroots and civil society.
The fact that this meeting could take place is particularly valuable: previous attempts during a visit to Mali were not feasible, which is precisely why the COP offers a unique opportunity to facilitate this type of consultation.
✍️ Text: Bart Dewaele, director of Join For Water