Fifth meeting of the ClimDev-Africa Steering Committee

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - The 5th meeting of the ClimDev-Africa Programme Steering Committee (CDSC5) was held at the the African Union Conference Centre on April 22 to 23, 2014. On behalf of Ms. Tumusiime Rhoda, Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Economy of the African Union Commission, Dr. Abebe Haile Gabriel, from the AUC chaired the meeting.

In her opening remarks, Ms Fatima Denton from the ACPC highlighted that the Steering Committee is the place where partnerships start among the different stakeholders of the programme and asked the participants for their inputs, validation and comments on the different items on the agenda. She acknowledged that ClimDev-Africa is at a point where the engine is revving, and needs to start moving. She noted the fact that the ClimDev-Africa Special Fund (CDSF) reaching its operationalisation threshold is a point to celebrate. On behalf of the AfDB, Mr. Tom Owiyo recognized the dynamic leadership that the AUC is providing in the ClimDev-Africa partnership, but decried the delay in operationalization of CDSF, which has resulted in ClimDev-Africa operating like a stool that has only two legs. Mr. Owiyo further recalled that AfDB has the Climate Change Action Plan (CCAP) with first phase spanning 2011-2015, which streamlines the Bank’s investments in climate proofing infrastructure and development. CDSF is now optimistic of shortly commencing disbursements as the funding threshold for effectiveness has been reached, thus the reason for sharing 5 shortlisted projects in the meeting document package.

The meeting chair, Dr. Abebe, then presented Ms. Tumusiime’s opening remarks, placing the CDSC5 in the context of 2014 as year of agriculture, ministerial meetings and summits organized by the AUC, including Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), the joint African Union conference of ministers of agriculture, with invitations of AMCEN, AMCOW, and noted that the climate change agenda was handed over by AMCEN ministers. A technical committee on agriculture and water will also be launched by AUC. He emphasized that all the efforts contribute towards Africa agenda 2063.

The overall objective of the CDSC is to review the implementation progress of ClimDev-Africa programme and provide guidance on planned activities and strategic framework in responding to member states’ needs and challenges.

Clarifications were made on the Monitoring Framework and Evaluation Approach (the M&E system being currently developed for ClimDev Africa). The Secretariat updated participants on the steady progress in implementing a robust system through profound reflection and ownership by the three institutions.

The overall partnership strategy of the programme was also broadly discussed. It was stated that ClimDev-Africa should collaborate in a more pro-active way with Civil Society Organisations and well established institutions which already work in the area of climate change and development in Africa, in particular for the organization of CCDA conferences.

The Steering Committee also discussed the CDSF, including the call for proposals mechanism, feedback to applicants of rejected projects and the criteria used for the selection of the pipeline projects. Dr. Owiyo explained why the option of the formal call for proposal was not used for this first set of proposals and enumerated the selected projects.

The Steering Committee acknowledged the good quality of a presentation on ClimDev-Africa Phase II particularly on the typology of partners and discussed methodological aspects of the proposal. Some of the members were concerned with some challenges for ClimDev-Africa Phase II such as the shifting from science to policy led approach, which might be difficult to achieve.

The Steering Committee recognized that presentation on ClimDev-Africa Phase II highlighted good ideas such as nexus topics between key sectors as the “new frontiers” and engagement with African leaders. The discussions in addition covered the interrelation between adaptation and mitigation, their financing and the added value of considering them in tandem.

It was proposed that the ClimDev-Africa Phase II could focus on least developed countries (LDCs), options for investments, transforming climate information for different consumers, and how to translate research into actions.

The chair closed the meeting by thanking all the members of the CDSC for the very productive discussions and for their active participation.

Issued by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA)