afrol News, 5 February - The Tanzanian Minister of Environment has said that many African nations - including Tanzanian - face the major challenges of global warming.

Mark Mwandosya has also hailed the Danish government for expressing great concern about climate change.

The minister was speaking at a joint press conference with the visiting Danish Minister for Development Cooperation, Mrs Ulla Tornaes, in the capital Dar es Salaam.

According to Danish embassy in Tanzania, Tornaes' four day visit was meant to "gather views and hold discussions on how African countries can be better involved in the global cooperation to find solutions to the effects of climate change." This was part of Denmark's preparation to host the 15th UN Conference on Climate Change [COP 15] next year.

The discussion by both ministers [Mwandosya and Tornaes] centred on the Copenhagen conference.

“I have noted the topics on Africa that the minister thinks are vital to be discussed during the meeting in Copenhagen next year," said Tornaes. "We will together be working further on this in the coming months.”

Mwandosya identified malaria prevalence in highland areas, intense flooding and droughts, intrusion of saltwater in freshwater zones and the rise of sea levels as some of the negative effects of climate change in Tanzania.

Danish government had committed US $30 million to support the East African country's five-year environmental activities.

Tornaes visited the unplanned settlement in Jangwani area of Dar es Salaam to get a first hand view of areas which may be affected by climate change.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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