AU, UN to extend $200 mn to Africa to boost response to climate change

African Union, the United Nations and the African Development Bank have said that they are providing African states with $200 million to strengthen the capacity of the continent to respond to climate change

Nairobi: The African Union, the United Nations and the African Development Bank (AfDB) have said that they are providing African states with $200 million to strengthen the capacity of the continent to respond to climate change.

Harsen Nyambe, director of the Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Directorate at the African Union Commission (AUC), said in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that part of the grant will be channeled to African countries to enable them to observe weather changes so that local communities can adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change, Xinhua news agency reported.

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“We will also develop a mobile application that will facilitate real-time tracking of extreme weather in Africa,” Nyambe said at the Africa Climate Week.

Nyambe revealed that the funding will also support African scientists to conduct research on climate change so that the continent can negotiate climate agreements that promote the interests of the region.

He added that Africa will also receive financial assistance to enable its small-scale farmers to access drought-resistant seeds that will help the region adapt to climate change.

Antonio Pedro, acting executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), said that the funding will be utilized to create an enabling environment for widespread access to climate information.

“This includes the development of comprehensive strategies for communication, outreach and advocacy so that vital climate information reaches all stakeholders,” Pedro noted.