The workshop held from 6 to 7 December, co-hosted by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Global Water Partnership Africa (GWP Africa), the project’s delivery partner, sought to establish a shared understanding of the program’s implementation and coordination mechanisms. The workshop was funded by the Green Climate Fund (GCF) as part of the AU AIP Multi-Country GCF Readiness project.
“Each of the participating countries is at a different level. Zambia has implemented GCF-funded projects before and has an established NDA with about 13 staff members. We therefore will be happy to support countries that are just starting. The continental knowledge platform will also be very critical in this sense as we can share experiences and success stories,” said Mr Billy Katontoka, Coordinator -GCF’s National Designated Authority in Zambia’s Ministry of Green Economy and Environment.
The project was approved by the GCF in February 2024 for 15 AU Member States including Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Eswatini, Ghana, Guinea, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Rep. of Congo, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tunisia, and Zambia. Project implementation started on 1st August 2024.
"The project will strengthen countries’ capacities for climate resilience" Dr. Ahmed K. Eldaw
“Through the AU-AIP GCF Readiness Support Initiative, participating countries will have strengthened capacities for climate-resilient planning for the water sector. This will be achieved by enhancing countries’ capacities for climate finance programming and Direct Access, focusing on institutions that can support water-sector-related activities, and enhancing strategic frameworks for climate-resilient investment planning for water management through the development of Water Investment Programmes aligned to the continental Africa Water Investment Programme and in line with GCF guidance on climate resilient water investments,” explained Dr. Ahmed K. Eldaw, Water and Climate Policy Advisor at the African Union Commission who highlighted that the workshop was a way to involve Member States in the process of creating a continental knowledge and investment platform for climate-resilient and inclusive water investments.
The multi-country initiative was developed in response to the existing huge gap in water investment in Africa as well as the capacity limitations of Member States to prepare water projects to access climate finance.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) estimates that Africa will need investment of over US$3 trillion in mitigation and adaptation by 2030 to effectively implement its NDCs. The biggest challenge is how to mobilise this huge financial resource as African countries have limited capacities in preparing bankable projects to mobilise resources for taking climate actions.
Mr. Kidanemariam Jembere Tiruneh, Technical advisor for Water, Climate and Gender provided an overview of the GCF Programming Cycle and Climate Resilient Water Security
The Continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP) which was adopted during the 34th ordinary session of the Assembly of AU Heads of State in February 2021 aims to bridge the water investment gap and improve the investment outlook for water security and sustainable sanitation for a prosperous, peaceful and equitable society in Africa.
Ms. Gladys Wekesa, Vice Chair of the African Ministers' Council on Water Technical Advisory Committee for East Africa
“Africa needs investments to ensure climate-resilient water security for its people and socio-economic activities. I am pleased to see that the AU-AIP GCF Readiness Support Initiative is working towards supporting countries in Africa to take climate action through preparing water investment programs and pipeline of projects for investment,” said Ms Gladys Wekesa, Vice Chair of the African Ministers' Council on Water Technical Advisory Committee for East Africa, who is also Director of Transboundary Water Resources at Kenya’s Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation who officially opened the kick-off meeting.
The overall goal of the initiative is that all participating countries have strengthened capacities for climate-resilient water investment planning and project preparation to take climate actions. This will be achieved through the following project interventions that will:
- Enhance the countries’ capacity for climate finance programming and direct access to GCF resources with a focus on water-related climate actions
- Enhance strategic frameworks for climate-resilient water investment planning through the development of Water Investment Programs
- Advance country pipelines through the development of Concept Notes
- Establish a continental knowledge and investment platform to facilitate learning and investment for water security in Africa
Mr. Miranda Miguel from Mozambique’s GCF NDA within the Ministry of Economy and Finance said his country will utilize the opportunity to improve its water resources, energy efficiency and agriculture, enhance the NDA’s capacity in private sector engagement and access more resources for investments in the water sector as well as gender equality and inclusion. He said Mozambique was also looking forward to learning from experiences of the other countries.
During the workshop, participants were introduced to the GCF Programming and its Readiness Support Program, and to the AU AIP Multi-Country GCF Readiness Initiative. They were also introduced to the priority activities of countries under each GCF Readiness objective and introduced to the Conceptual Framework of a Continental Knowledge and Investment Platform to which they were able to contribute on its functionalities. They also brainstormed cross-cutting challenges and solutions to improve their countries’ capacities to access climate finance.
“The primary priority of this project is to strengthen the capacity of Burundi's National Designated Authority (NDA). The NDA operates with support from experts and executives in the environment, energy, and transport sectors. Capacity building is essential to enable the NDA to effectively collaborate with national stakeholders, raise awareness on climate finance mobilization, and ensure the implementation and execution of preparatory projects, as well as approved projects under the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
“Another key priority is the development of the country’s policy framework. Burundi requires strategic documents, including development plans and sector-specific policies. This project will support the creation and implementation of these critical frameworks, including laws and strategies for climate change adaptation, environmental protection, and water management. Given the pressing need for improved water management, this will be a crucial focus area for the project,” explained Mr. Diomede Ndiyarukiye, Permanent Secretary Ministry of the Environment, Agriculture and Livestock, Burundi.
Meanwhile, 24 countries have already expressed interest in participating in the second phase of the AU AIP GCF Readiness Support Initiative.