ATHLETICS KENYA PRESIDENT, LT. GEN. (Rtd) JACKSON TUWEI STATEMENT DURING UNVEILING OF AIR QUALITY SENSOR AT THE ETHIOPIAN YOUTH SPORTS ACADEMY IN ADDIS ABABA FOLLOWING THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN ETHIOPIAN ATHLETICS FEDERATION AND ATHLETICS KENYA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UNEP AND STOCKHOLM ENVIRONMENT INSTITUTE.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
15th January, 2023
Salutation….
On behalf of the Eastern African Athletics Region Association, I would like to thank the Ethiopia Athletics Federation led by President, Derartu Tulu for the warm reception and hospitality we have received. We thank the government of Ethiopia for its support and facilitation to all the delegates.
The World Health Organization (WHO)has reported that over 99% of people worldwide are exposed to harmful levels of air pollution.
On 17th September, 2018, World Athletics (World Governing body for the sport of Athletics) reached a substantial milestone in its campaign to raise awareness of the effects of air pollution, with the installation of its first stadium air quality monitor in Monaco.
As part of a pilot programme designed to highlight the need for clean air, the first air quality monitoring device was set up at Stade Louis II in Monaco, in the presence of HSH Prince Albert II, President of the Monaco Athletics Federation and Chair of the IOC Environment Commission, and Sebastian Coe, President of World Athletics.
World Athletics’ Clean Air campaign is critical to achieving the agenda on clean air for all. We thank World Athletics in leading us.
Demonstrating its commitment to the fight against climate change, Athletics Kenya on 13th August, 2021 became the first national athletics federation to join World Athletics as a signatory of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) or otherwise referred to as Sports for Climate Action (S4CA) Framework, an initiative urging sports organisations to reduce their carbon emissions in line with the Paris Climate Agreement.
I am proud that Athletics Kenya and Ethiopia Athletics Federation are collaborating on this key health agenda on Clean air. Our elite athletes can now train in good conditions. The air quality sensor will go a long way in ensuring that the long term health interest of our athletes and the society in general are taken care of by all concerned parties. We thank our key partners and experts – UNEP and Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI).
Air pollution is a silent killer which is affecting the health of athletes, local communities and our environment, so I’m delighted that the cooperation between Athletics Kenya and Ethiopia Athletics Federations follows similar engagement we had with Senegal Athletics and CAA. I thank the CAA president for his support. We look forward to continue the collaboration with our other sister federations in the continent including – Cameroon, Zambia, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Island Nations of Indian Ocean. We note that good and clean environment has no boundaries and we must work together as a team to achieve common good on Climate change and clean air.
Thank you.