Businge: Why governments, private sector need to work together to address climate change

Dar es Salaam. African governments should collaborate with private sector and other stakeholders to work together to build preparedness to overcome climate change and poverty.

Plan International sub-regional director (Southern Africa), Charles Businge told The Citizen in an interview over the weekend that there is need to build a strategic relationship between government and other stakeholders to overcome the increasing incidences of climate vulnerabilities that keep occurring in the region.

"Few weeks ago the southern part of Tanzania (Mtwara) was just missed with the cyclone Kenneth by whisker, this is an indication that we need to pay more attention to climate change effects," he said.

Mr Businge further stressed that it was also important to focus on future preparedness planning and to build resilience.

Poverty is another area that needs focus and strategic partnerships, he said, as it is one of the biggest challenges in most parts of Africa.

According to him, culture, beliefs and norms were the most contributing factors that lead to poverty, with women and girls being the largest victims.

"Because of poverty parents force children into early marriage," Mr Businge noted.

He noted that to eradicate poverty multiple stakeholders should work with the government. 

"If you broadly look in the country context, 49 per cent of Tanzania population live below the poverty line. The number is too significant. We need to work together to eradicate poverty,” he noted.