Partners of the Climate Information for Development in Africa initiative (ClimDev-Africa), outlined an ambitious second phase business plan to foster and support climate-sensitive development in Africa.

ClimDev-Africa, a joint programme of the African Union Commission (AUC), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa ( ECA) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) presented components of the new business plan at a side event at the Africa Pavilion at COP 22.

Acting ECA Executive Secretary, Abdalla Hamdok said the Programme had achieved “some spectacular successes” adding that “… despite the achievements of phase 1, there is an urgent need for the programme to address the continent’s changing landscape of climate change, within the overall regional and global development agenda.”

ClimDev-Africa Programme was launched in 2011 with the mandate to address the gaps in the observational records of past, current and future climate trends—gaps which African leaders and development partners recognized as major obstacles to integrating climate change into Africa’s development policy processes and strategies.

Since inception it has brought to bear the collective efforts of the three key African institutions to foster a common and coordinated response to climate change throughout the continent.  

The programme operates in three main areas: Support for investments in the modernization of Africa’s climate observation infrastructure and capacities. This component is led by the AfDB through the ClimDev Special Fund (CDSF).

In addition, the programme embarks on analysis, packaging and delivery of climate information to relevant policy and decision making forums and processes, led by ECA through the ACPC. Support for the development of appropriate climate response policies at national, regional and global levels is led by the AUC through the Climate Change and Desertification Unit (CCDU).  

The first phase of the programme—supported financially by the European Union, the UK Department for International Development (DFID), Norway, Sweden, the Nordic Development Fund and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)—comes to an end in 2016.

The partners expressed appreciation for the financial support to the programme and invited continued partnership and new alliances for phase two.

“As we go into Phase two, which I strongly believe will contribute immensely to ensuring that climate change becomes an integral component of our continent’s structural transformation and green industrialization agenda. We look forward to your continued support and partnership,” Hamdok said.

Rhoda Peace Timusiime, AU Commissioner Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture emphasized the continued need to provide climate information in policy making to improve adaptation and resilience on the continent.

Alex Rugamba, AfDB Director for Energy, Environment and Climate Change said the new business plan enables the three partners “to walk on a new path with one vision and sense of strong complementarity.”

The side event was a precursor to a formal launch of the programme scheduled for December 15^th in Addis Ababa.