Seventh African Development Forum Mainstreaming Climate Change in Development

6 October 2010
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African Development Bank (Abidjan)
press release

Tunis — From: 10/10/2010

To: 15/10/2010

Location: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Tunis, 6 October 2010 - The African Development Forum jointly initiated in 1999 by the African Development Bank (AfDB), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the African Union Commission (AUC) to address development challenges in Africa and to establish a consensual Africa-driven development agenda on the continent, holds its seventh edition from 10-15 October 2010 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

"Acting on Climate Change for Sustainable Development in Africa" Is the theme of ADF VII which will bring together eminent personalities, including heads of state and government, government representatives, public and private sector operators, NGO/CSOs, finance houses, academia as well as bilateral and multilateral development partners.

The forum will comprise five main plenary and several breakout sessions to build consensus and mobilize partnerships for Africa's climate change agenda. The Forum will highlight the key issues relevant to climate change challenges in Africa from people and sustainable development perspectives, having in mind wide spread poverty and human development issues in Africa.

The sessions will focus on issues ranging from governance and leadership response to climate change to how climate change relates to agriculture and food security; human development; risk management-monitoring; early warning and response; trade and industrial development; financing adaptation and mitigation; infrastructure development; ecosystem sustainability; science, technology innovation and capacity building; private sector response; as well as growth, poverty reduction and gender.

The Bank will co-organize a session on private sector response to climate change with the Africa Business Roundtable. This is in recognition of the pivotal role that the private sector is expected to play in mobilizing resources for climate change finance. All sessions will highlight the imperative of mainstreaming climate change in development at the sector and macro-economic levels. An important aspect of the Forum will involve a high-level launch of the Climate for Development in Africa (Climdev-Africa) Programme and its African Climate Policy Centre (ACPC) which will be co-chaired by the AUC, AfDB and UNECA CEOs.

The Bank will on Tuesday October 12, 2010 at the United Nations Conference Centre, Addis Ababa, organize a side event on the theme: "Consultations on the Proposed Africa Green Fund" (AGF). The event will provide a consultation platform for African stakeholders to discuss the proposed AGF as an instrument that would enable the AfDB to receive and manage resources allocated to Africa from all sources including the fast- track financing and long term pledges made under the Copenhagen Accord.

The hosting and managing of such a fund by the Bank will enhance Africa's access to the much-needed global resources for tackling climate change challenges on the continent. The side event will also increase African stakeholders awareness on the AfDB's comparative advantages, roles and actions in addressing climate change issues in Africa. These comparative advantages include the Bank's operational presence and experience throughout Africa as well as its experience in managing similar funds and implementing projects that the fund will be addressing. The Bank's heavy focus on infrastructure sits well with the tenets of the Africa Green Fund.

Speakers at the side event, which will be chaired by the AUC commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Economy, Tumusiime Rhoda Peace, will include Sierra Leone's energy and water resources minister, Ogunlade Davidson, the AfDB Energy, Environment and Climate Change Department Director, Hela Cheikhrouhou, its Resident Representative in Ethiopia, Lamin Barrow, and the Bank's Quality and Compliance Manager, Anthony Nyong.

Climate change is one of the most challenging threats to sustainable development in Africa. Although the continent contributes less than 4% of total greenhouse gas emissions, its countries are among the most vulnerable to climate change in the world. The geographical location of many African countries is characterized by already warmer and relatively dry climate, with extensive marginal areas of poor soils and high rainfall variability. The economies of most African countries also rely heavily on climate sensitive sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, forestry, other natural resources and tourism. The continent is unable to respond adequately to the direct and indirect effects of climate change because of widespread poverty, poor economic and social infrastructure, conflicts, limited human and institutional capacities, and inadequate technologies and financial resources

Contacts

Ernest Achonu

Read the original article on African Development Bank (AfDB).

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