The African civil society announced five key priorities to combat climate change, namely adaptation, losses, damages, food and land use systems, and forest protection and restoration. This announcement was made by Sekou Sarr, the Executive Secretary of Third World Network-Africa, representing a group of African NGOs, during an event at the United Nations Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai.
The NGOs, united under a joint platform launched at COP28 called “The African Development Bank and Civil Society Climate and Energy Alliance,” emphasize the need for Africa to leverage its natural resources. Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the African Development Bank, highlighted that African economies should not solely be measured by GDP but rather by their natural capital.
The alliance supports the African leaders’ call to direct Special Drawing Rights for climate financing to Africa, including through the African Development Bank. It urges the international community, governments, and development partners to implement best practices, innovations, and technologies inclusively, engaging farmers and local communities, particularly women and youth, in approaches that combine scientific and traditional knowledge without harming biodiversity or compromising community resilience.
The alliance calls for ensuring that adaptation and resilience are at the core of African economies vulnerable to climate change. Beth Dunford, the Bank’s Vice President responsible for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, highlighted the bank’s commitment to climate change adaptation, with 64% of its funding dedicated to climate adaptation in Africa, including a new window for climate action aimed at providing specific resources and technical assistance to the continent’s least developed countries.
Augustine Njamnshi, the head of the alliance, praised the relationship between development finance institutions, civil society, and the private sector in combating climate change in Africa. He stated that doubling adaptation financing would not be enough for the continent, calling for cooperation between civil society, the private sector, and banks for Africa’s benefit.
Pauline Nantongo Kalunda, Executive Director of Ecotrust Fund, noted that the joint efforts of civil society and the private sector enabled 15,000 small-scale farmers to develop tree cultivation for carbon storage, calling for the removal of barriers to accessing climate finance.
Mithika Mwenda, head of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, a robust network of over 1000 African climate organizations, emphasized civil society’s catalytic role and applauded the partnership with the bank that enabled significant commitments.
Roger Barro, Minister of Environment of Burkina Faso, stated that the government, private sector, and civil society form a “synergy” in combating climate change in the coastal country, highlighting the government’s consultation frameworks for working with these different entities.
