Global Affairs Canada Applauds Africa Climate Change Fund

Posted by Eric Ojo Latest Headlines, World News Thursday, May 4th, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Global Affairs Canada Cooperation for Pan-African and Regional Development Programme has commended the Africa Climate Change Fund (ACCF) for its interventions.

The ACCF is a multi-donor trust fund well positioned to contribute to the achievement of the goals set by African Development Bank (AfDB)’s to triple its climate financing efforts and foster its drive for a climate-resilient Africa.

The AfDB established the ACCF in April 2014 with an initial contribution of €4.725 million from the Government of Germany to support African countries in building their resilience to the negative impacts of climate change and transition to sustainable low-carbon growth.

ACCF was converted to a Multi-Donor Trust Fund in 2017 with contributions from the Governments of Flanders, Belgium, and Italy. Global Affairs Canada and the Government of Quebec joined the Fund in 2020 and the Global Center on Adaptation, the Republic of Ireland, and the Federal Ministry of Finance of Austria, in 2022. The size of the trust is $28.8 million.

Global Affairs Canada is the department of the Government of Canada that manages Canada’s diplomatic and consular relations, promotes Canadian international trade, and leads Canada’s international development and humanitarian assistance.

It joined the ACCF in March 2020 as a donor with a contribution of 7 million Canadian Dollars to support the Fund’s work to develop a gender transformative climate change workstream focused on women and girls’ empowerment for climate resilience.

Head of Programme at Global Affairs Canada, Mrs. Lara Bremner made the commendation when she led a delegation from her organization on a working visit the AfDB’s headquarters in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire.

The visit was part of Global Affairs Canada’s engagement with key Pan-African and regional partners, including the AfDB’s ACCF. She was accompanied by Mrs. Eve Sandra Beremwoudougou, First Secretary and Senior International Assistance Officer and GAC’s representative on the ACCF’s Oversight Committee.

She also advised on how the ACCF could expand its geographic reach and further its engagements with the private sector. She equally harped on the need to further share the results of the projects via social media and other platforms.

Mrs. Bremmer further reassured and offered Canada’s support to disseminating the results that the ACCF is delivering.

Similarly, AfDB’s Director of Climate Change and Green Growth Department, Prof. Anthony Nyong, highlighted how the bank is mainstreaming climate change into all its investments.

Prof. Nyong said the ACCF, which has benefitted from Canada’s contributions, is focused on supporting entities such as civil society organizations, non-government organizations, and small businesses, which are often left out of the bank’s main financing, to access climate finance.

“The ACCF is not only providing funds for climate action but also helping to strengthen the capacities of the institutions it engages”, he said.

He added that the GAC’s contributions have strengthened the bank’s work in mainstreaming gender into its climate change projects.

During the meeting, the Coordinator of the ACCF, Ms. Rita Effah briefed Mrs. Bremner on the Fund’s Third Call for Proposal (CFP3) and how the projects selected will address gender inequality across the host countries. The projects cover key sectors such as agriculture, forestry, energy, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

“These projects are expected to contribute to addressing the root causes of gender inequality and to strengthen the resilience of African communities to the impacts of climate change”, she further explained. stated.

AfDB’s Manager in charge of Climate Change and Green Growth Division, Dr. Al Hamndou Dorsouma, also attended the meeting.