NMG emphasizes climate change as it kicks off the fourth annual Kusi ideas festival

Dar es Salaam. Nation Media Group (NMG) has on Thursday December 8, opened the fourth annual Kusi ideas festival with a focus on climate change.

The two-day event is taking place against the backdrop of COP27, which just ended in Egypt.

This year’s festival revolves around the theme, “Climate Change: Exploring African Responses and Solutions” and will explore the impact of the warming climate on the continent – from its impact on food security to the financing and technology needed to mitigate its impact on its environment and the people.

Speaking during the opening of the event, NMG Chairman Wilfred Kiboro urged partners to add value and empower society on climate change in a speech at Karura Forest during the launch.

“We have always been fortunate to attract resources and knowledgeable experts who work passionately on African issues. At this fourth festival, you have honoured our invitation and come in even larger numbers. We value you and look forward to drinking from your wisdom,” Kiboro said.

The lakeside Ugandan city of Entebbe was originally chosen as the location for this year’s festival. However, due to regrettable logistical and safety issues brought on by the Ebola outbreak in Uganda, it had to be changed at the last minute.

Despite having made the fewest contributions to global warming and producing the fewest emissions, Africa continues to be among the regions most severely affected by the effects of climate change. The greatest threat to human existence today is climate change.

The Kusi Ideas Festival was established by NMG four years ago as a pan-African forum to examine our continent’s position in the world, its citizens’ innovative and problem-solving ideas, and how these empower us to meet the upcoming challenges.

Speaking on the achievement led by ideas generated from the Kusi Festival Dr Kiboro said; “Few days ago 17 African countries agreed to pilot Single African Air Transport Market (SAATM). These countries included Kenya, Ghana, Morocco, Nigeria just to mention a few."

He added: That idea was born during first Kusi Festival held in 2019 in Kigali, Rwanda, we are grateful that ideas come from that forum get continental attention.

This demonstrates how the company is fulfilling its mission to serve as the “Media of Africa for Africa,” which aims to help set the agenda for positioning Africa as a major player in world politics and economics.

Previous festivals have been held in Kigali, Rwanda, in 2019, Kisumu, Kenya, in 2020, and Accra, Ghana, in 2021.