Kate Bapela presides over African PR conference

Kate Bapela

The theme for this year's conference is "Climate Change and its Implications for Public Relations". Bapela says: “The flash floods experienced in Soweto on the 26th of February 2009 which saw more than 200 households left without shelter, food or blankets confirmed how ill-equipped we were to deal with human-induced climate change.

The City of Johannesburg has been left with an approximately R350 million reconstruction bill as a result of these flash floods. This singular problem is affecting virtually every aspect of our lives, such that today numerous activities are being carried out to mitigate the negative effects of climate change and thus ensure that future generations can enjoy a secured existence.”

“Communities across the world and in particular from developing economies as ours will have, in dealing with climate, evolve from the abstract concern to a lived experience. It is no longer sufficient to rely on radio, television, print media and blockbuster movies to appreciate the consequences every household is exposed to in everyday life. Governments and nations they serve will have to develop new partnerships in dealing with climate change as one of the 21st century's main challenges,” adds Kate.

She says various countries in the African continent have embarked upon projects to minimise the severe impact of climate change on human health, the economy and societies in general. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change asserts that scientific evidence has proven that human activity is destabilising the global climate. The convention has established an obligation to cooperate, to produce and exchange information, to use common measures and most important to guide our forward vision. Bapela says it has been crucial in addressing climate change and the need for a reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases. “Ultimately it's intended to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous human interface with the climate system,” she says.

She explains that the Kyoto Protocol which is the daughter Treaty of the Convention entered into force in 1995. The Protocol constitutes a pivotal first step in the fight against global climate change by setting out specific, binding emission reduction commitments.

The Gambia conference which assembles the continent's public relations and communication professionals plans to use this year's conference to add its voice to the plethora of voices that recognise the dire effects of climate change.

Bapela adds: “we will utilise this conference to formalise partnerships with organisations that have already begun doing sterling work in educating and training communities to effectively deal with climate change. As a continent we will need regional and international cooperation to provide the magnitude of public awareness that would enable communities to understand impacts of climate change.”

The former President of Public Relations Institute of South Africa (PRISA) and currently the Chief Communication Officer of the Electoral Commission of South Africa says Africa is taking its place and articulating its issues globally.

The five-day conference will be attended by personalities from Africa as well as abroad and plans to discuss topics such as the 2010 FIFA World Cup and National Communication, Climate Change and Public Health for Grassroots Impact, Climate Change Scenarios and Impacts in Africa, Climate Change and Corporate Social Responsibility, Climate Change and Agricultural Development in Five African Countries, Environment, Climate Change and Millennium Development and Research Strategy for meeting Climate Change.

Among the dignitaries who will deliver papers at the conference are Momodou Kotu Cham, the Minister of Forestry and Environment, Dr Ebrahim Malick Samba, former WHO Regional Director for Africa. The conference will also discuss modalities for an accreditation system for Public Relations in Africa.

The Public Relations Association of the Gambia (PRAG) in collaboration with APRA will host the conference. The APRA conference is an annual event and the venue rotates from country to country.