The conference slotted for May 9 through 10 will be the first one in Africa and seeks to bring onboard civil society groups from across the globe to discuss how to bolster the civil groups’ fights against climate change.

This they seek to do through various discursions, including onboarding social media, to spur climate change sensitization.

Pan African Climate Justice (PACJA), one of the key civil groups in the conference, has expressed its support for the choice of Nairobi, adding that it presents an opportunity for Africa to showcase its immense capabilities to be at the forefront of an array of issues, among them climate change mitigation.

“We are privileged in Africa to host this conference for the first time in 69 years and Nairobi takes pride in hosting this,” said PACJA Head of Programs and Research Charles Mwangi.

“We as civil societies from Africa must ensure that there is a big footprint of our engagements and what we really want in this particular conference,” Mwangi added.

They have, however, voiced concerns about the challenges civil groups face that impede their effectiveness.

The United Nations Civil Society Conference will provide an opportunity for multi-stakeholder engagement ahead of the Summit of the Future later in the year and a venue for civil society to participate in the preparation process.

Likewise, it will provide civil society with an additional platform to speak out and share ideas that could contribute to the Pact for the Future negotiations, in line with the Common Agenda’s vision of networked multilateralism.

By Fred Odanga Azelwa