Speaking at a dinner held at a local hotel to mark the 45th anniversary of Africa Day, Moleboge said: "This year, we are celebrating Africa Day by committing ourselves to addressing persisting and emerging social issues such as water, sanitation and health in the context of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Africa.

"By choosing 'Meeting the MDGs on Water and Sanitation' as theme for this year's commemoration, our heads of state and government reaffirm their determination to step up efforts in solving problems related to water and sanitation as vital ingredients of healthy living in Africa", he continued.

Moleboge said the African Union (AU) has recognised the increasing disease burden on Africa attributed to environmental deterioration, extreme poverty and inadequate personal and community hygiene.

Accordingly, the organisation has embarked on a number of policies and strategies which are being implemented by member states, regional economic communities and other partners in the health sector.

However, in spite of all this, the continent is still beset with enormous challenges of poverty, famine, disease, HIV-AIDS prevalence, ethnic and religious intolerance, as well as political tensions which are self-inflicted, but sometimes come from outside.

"That is why at the turn of the century, the current crop of African leaders decided to create the African Union and also adopted the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) as a paradigm shift for development to overcome the monumental socio-economic challenges, and improvement of the living conditions of our people through the promotion of inter-African trade as contained in the Abuja Treaty of 1991," he said.

The effects of climate change, he noted, can best be illustrated by the noticeable erratic rainfall patterns, drought, desertification, floods and other weather-related disasters, which directly endanger human life and negatively impact on agricultural productivity and water security.

Moleboge said these conditions exacerbate the already handicapped existence in developing countries, and scale down national efforts to reduce poverty and also undermine developmental progress.

That is why the local Africa Group of Ambassadors and High Commissioners organised a symposium on 22 May under the theme 'Climate Change: How prepared is Africa' as part of activities marking this year's Africa Day events to draw attention to this phenomenon, he explained.

Following the adoption of the landmark decision on climate change by the AU summit in January 2007, the 'Climate for Development in Africa' programme is being developed as a coping strategy to minimise the impact of climate change on the continent, especially on the water sector.

Nampa

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