In a world gripped by energy, food and inflation crises – fuelled by climate impacts, the war in Ukraine, and the pandemic – the challenges of soaring prices are too often seen only through the eyes of wealthier nations, Nakate said.
“In countries like Uganda, many people are being impacted and suffering because, as the fuel prices rise, transportation rises, food prices rise as well,” she said, adding that many people “just don’t know how to keep up with it”.
She called for the international community to step up investments that address energy poverty in Africa and support the shift to renewable power.
“If there is no climate finance to support that transition, many of our countries are being pressured into taking money from fossil fuel companies so that they can lift their communities out of energy poverty,” she said.
In her role for UNICEF, Nakate has recently visited communities affected by the devastating drought in the Horn of Africa, where millions are on the brink of starvation, including children.
These tragedies can reverberate for many years throughout an individual’s life, even generations, Nakate said.
But she noted that Biden and the other world leaders who have travelled to Egypt this week should understand that their positive actions also have the potential to echo into the future.
“I’ve heard of something called the butterfly effect, whereby just one thing that may seem like a small action can end up affecting the lives of so many people,” she said, adding that leaders have a choice whether their effect is positive or negative.
“If it’s to be positive, then one action right now will benefit not only our generation, but also the coming generations,” she said.
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