By Aliu Akoshile, in Baku
The African Union Commission (AUC), in partnership with the Green Climate Fund, has launched the second phase of a pan-African water investment programme tagged AU-AIP Multi-country Green Climate Fund (GCF) Readiness Project.
Under the programme, and subject to their readiness, each of the 54 African countries can access $4 million for water intervention projects.
Ambassador Josefa Sacko, African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Development, launched the project at the African Pavilion, at the sidelines of the UN COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Tuesday.
Represented by a Director in the Commission, Josefa Sacko said the launch of phase II of the project is a major stride towards achieving the SDG on water access by 2030.
In her remarks, Executive Director of the Green Climate Fund (GCF), Mafalda Duarte, who declared 2024 as the year for climate finance, said the Green Climate Fund delivers climate finance where it is most needed.
She said GEF was committed to strengthening the capacities of AU member states for climate-resilient water investment planning and project preparation for sustainable climate actions.
Zambia’s national coordinator of the Green Climate Fund, Mr. Billy Katontoka made a presentation on the programme modalities and details of the beneficiaries.
He said the phase II covers 15 countries in Africa including Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Eswatini, Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tunisia, and Zambia.
AIP says the launch event at COP29 venue outlines the project objectives and facilitates the sharing of information about the need to strengthen Africa’s capacity for developing investment programs and project pipelines to access climate and other finance.
The event, which drew participants from regions of Africa, was aimed to showcase the funders’ commitments for accelerating investments in climate-resilient water security and sustainable sanitation in Africa.
As the biggest climate action support fund in the world, GCF seized the opportunity to share vital information on how AU member states may join the second phase of the project.
According to Billy Katontoka, the project also aims to accelerate the investment into gender-responsive climate resilience in Africa by advancing direct access and developing country-level strategic frameworks for climate-resilient water resources management.
The National Coordinator noted that the project will further support countries by filling a key financing gap in the early-stage project development cycle and supporting the development of concept notes for country and transboundary projects.
He said AIP will contribute to a knowledge management platform as part of the AIP International Blended Investment Facility for mobilising public-private finance and sharing lessons learned.
This, according to him, will enhance knowledge management’s inclusion into current and future resilience interventions, including the use of indigenous knowledge.