The African Union in its 37th Ordinary Session on 17th February 2024 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia acknowledged the role that the African Green Climate Finance National Designated Authorities Network (AfDAN) is playing in bringing African countries together to build their capacity to accelerate access to and enhance the mobilisation of climate finance at scale especially for adaptation and resilience building at the local level. On August 22, 2024, Anzetse Were attended the AfDAN high level forum, in her capacity as Senior Economist and Green Finance Advisor of FSD Kenya. The two-day forum was hosted by The National Treasury and Economic Planning of Kenya and brought together representatives from 20 African nations, diplomats, and development partners to strengthen green and climate finance strategies across the continent.
The event was graced by the Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Hon. Alice Wahome; the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Hon. Aden Duale; the Cabinet Secretary for The National Treasury and Economic Planning Hon. CPA John Mbadi; and the Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, Kenya’s candidate for the African Union Commission Chairmanship.
In her keynote speech, Cabinet Secretary for Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development Hon. Alice Wahome provided insight on the impact of climate change on urban cities and the urban poor in Africa. She outlined the Building Climate Resilience of the Urban Poor (BCRUP) global initiative for which the UN Secretary General in 2019 designated Kenya and Brazil as champions on behalf of the Global Community. In his keynote speech, the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Hon. Aden Duale stressed the importance of robust financial frameworks for Africa’s climate resilience and sustainable development. In his keynote speech the Cabinet Secretary for The National Treasury and Economic Planning Hon. CPA John Mbadi shared his confidence that AfDAN will enable the continent to build consensus, articulate priorities and share learning and best practices on climate finance solutions developed in unique African contexts.
In his keynote speech, Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga, Kenya’s candidate for the African Union Commission chairmanship and the country’s former Prime Minister, shared his insights on Africa’s need for a common pool for climate change financing to enable the continent to negotiate as a single entity.
Later at the event, Anzetse Were shared the activities she leads for FSD Kenya with the Office of the Special Climate Envoy in the Executive Office of the President, and The National Treasury on green, climate and carbon finance. She outlined initiatives that have proven successful in mobilising green and climate finance for Africa, such as the Financing Locally-Led Climate. Action (FLLoCA) Program and FSD Kenya’s Green Project Preparation Facility, the latter of which she designed and leads. She shared her insights on how African countries can increase their capabilities and preparedness to anchor, deploy and scale green and climate finance across the continent.
The anticipated outcomes of the high level forum are: 1) Strengthened and better coordinated AfDAN with African countries in mobilising and executing Green and Climate Finance to advance locally led action and in building resilience; 2) Models that are appropriate for scaling climate finance access in African Countries; 3) Lessons and best practices from the progress made in BCRUP Regional Readiness Pilot Programme for 14 African Countries; 4) A proposed broad-based reform agenda for climate funds to support scaling up of climate action in Africa.
Stay informed with regular updates from FSD Kenya