Fatima Denton

Fatima Denton is the Officer-in-Charge of the Special Initiatives Division and the Co-ordinator for the African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She focuses on innovation, science, technology and natural resource management. She partners with countries such as Benin and Liberia to develop and implement country needs assessment missions.

Quotes

Dr Fatima Denton stressed the need for government to adopt research-based knowledge to ensure sustainable development.

• “We are privileged to be operating in a space where we can draw on strong science and identify downstream the best tools to deploy scientific findings that can support policy.”
• “We have to use our research institutes as producers of knowledge, not only as contributors to research but as influencers of research outcomes."
• "Ghana is one of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa with the highest depletion of its natural resources and needed to move away from being a marginal supplier of raw commodities to harnessing the full potential of its natural capital through diversification and greater value addition."
• "Research does not only bring out the problems of the society but equally serve as a source of solutions to such identifiable problems."
• “We have to elevate science to economic literacy and anchor our work to respond to problems that our governments, farmers, pastoralists and vulnerable communities are wrestling with.”

Dr Fatima Denton, at the opening of the Fourth Annual Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-IV)

• "Africa’s flight towards agricultural sovereignty cannot be achieved if we do not deliberately use agriculture as a catalyst for growth."
• "We have a major opportunity in turning agriculture in Africa as the engine of development."
• "We are here today because our planet is under threat, our resources are being depleted, our ecosystems are being degraded; but most of all, the legacy that we can hand down to our children is diminishing."
• "Climate change has crystallised what is at stake. It is the core of our humanity our most sacred assets that will undermine our collective human security if we continue on the “politics as usual” trajectory."
• "Ghana is one of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa with the highest depletion of its natural resources and needed to move away from being a marginal supplier of raw commodities to harnessing the full potential of its natural capital through diversification and greater value addition."

Dr. Denton speaking at a three-day international conference on minerals to Africa's development

• "Africa is in a pole position to lead in the green transition and to reduce energy poverty,"
• "Africa must negotiate for a common framework in harnessing its critical minerals."
• "We need to look at the early warning systems in place and aspire to attain food security.”
• "We Need to Create Spaces to Democratize the ‘Just Transition’."