Source: U.S. Department of State |

Africa Regional Media Hub | Montreal Protocol meeting in Kigali, Rwanda - Live Twitter Q&A (Oct 12, 13:00 GMT); US Secretary of State and Spec. Rep. for Environment and Water Resources travel to Rwanda; Sudan's National Dialogue General Conference

WASHINGTON D.C., United States of America, October 12, 2016/APO/ --

Live Twitter Q&A: “Why HFCs, why now, why Africa? The Montreal Protocol and its Impact on Climate Change”

The Africa Regional Media Hub will host a Twitter Q&A on Wednesday, October 12 at 13:00GMT/15:00 SAST covering the Montreal Protocol Meeting of the Parties (MOP28) taking place in Kigali, Rwanda this week. This meeting presents the opportunity to amend the Montreal Protocol to include an ambitious phasedown of extremely harmful hydroflourocarbons. This act alone could avoid up to 0.5°C of warming by the end of the century, making a major contribution to the Paris Agreement goal to limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C.
Journalists are encouraged to submit questions in advance via email (afmediahub@state.gov ) or on Twitter using the hashtag #MOP28inAfrica. 
The Q&A will be moderated by Media Hub Director and U.S. State Department French Spokesperson Brian Neubert. 
A French Q&A will also take place on @USAenFrancais at 13:00GMT/15:00SAST. Questions for the French feed should use the hashtag #USACLIMAT.

Sudan's National Dialogue General Conference
Press Statement
John Kirby
Assistant Secretary and Department Spokesperson, Bureau of Public Affairs 
Washington, DC
October 8, 2016

The United States notes the Government of Sudan’s intention to hold a General Conference on October 10 to review the progress made by National Dialogue participants. While we acknowledge that the conference will recognize the contributions of the different stakeholders to the National Dialogue, we believe it is equally important to strive for a representative and comprehensive national dialogue with participation from political and armed opposition, for a sustainable end to Sudan’s internal crises.
We urge the Government of Sudan to consider the current National Dialogue a first phase, and to engage with the opposition for its participation in an inclusive dialogue process, as prescribed in the Roadmap agreement negotiated by the African Union High Implementation Panel (AUHIP) which the government and opposition have signed. Conclusively ending the dialogue at this stage could seriously impede negotiations of cessations of hostilities agreements with the armed opposition and could derail the completion of the AUHIP Roadmap.

Secretary of State Kerry to Travel to Rwanda
Press Statement
John Kirby
Assistant Secretary and Department Spokesperson, Bureau of Public Affairs 
Washington, DC
October 7, 2016

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry will travel to Kigali, Rwanda, from October 13-14, 2016, to join EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy and others in striving to achieve U.S. climate and environmental goals at the upcoming Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol.
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is widely regarded to be one of the most successful environmental treaties ever and was the first treaty to achieve universal ratification. This global agreement has put the stratospheric ozone layer on a path to recovery through measures to control production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances.
The negotiations in Kigali will be an opportunity to reach global agreement on an ambitious amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase down the production and consumption of hydroflourocarbons, or HFCs. HFCs have become popular substitutes for ozone-depleting substances, but – while they are far better for the ozone layer – they are also potent greenhouse gases, which means they contribute to global climate change.
An ambitious HFC amendment would build on the positive momentum of the Paris Agreement and could avoid up to half a degree Celsius of warming by the end of this century.
Follow Secretary Kerry’s travel to Rwanda via @JohnKerry, @StateDept, and @StateDeptSpox on Twitter and go to the Department’s Flickr account for the latest trip photos. Stay connected at http://blogs.state.gov/social-feeds  and keep track of all of the Secretary's travels at http://www.state.gov/secretary/travel/index.htm.

Special Representative for Environment and Water Resources Travels to Rwanda
Media Note
Office of the Spokesperson 
Washington, DC
October 7, 2016

U.S. Special Representative for Environment and Water Resources Ambassador Jennifer Haverkamp will travel to Kigali, Rwanda, October 8-15.
In Kigali, Ambassador Haverkamp will participate in the final round of negotiations this year for the Montreal Protocol with the goal of achieving an ambitious amendment to phase down the worldwide production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are potent greenhouse gases. She will lead the U.S. delegation through the preparatory sessions until the arrival of Secretary Kerry and EPA Administrator McCarthy for the high level segment.
Securing an ambitious amendment to the Montreal Protocol to phase down HFCs could avoid up to 0.5°C of warming by the end of the century, making a major contribution to the Paris Agreement goal to limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of U.S. Department of State.