22 January 2015: The Climate Change Coordination Committee (CCCC) of the African Development Bank (AfDB) held a knowledge-sharing seminar at the AfDB’s headquarters in Abidjan, Nigeria, to discuss the outcomes of the 20th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 20) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) held in Lima, Peru, in December 2014. The CCCC also addressed expectations for COP 21 to be held in Paris, France, from 30 November – 11 December 2015.

The seminar, which took place on 21 January 2015, was attended by the AfDB’s Executive Directors, advisors to Board members, senior management and staff from AfDB headquarters and field offices.

Solomon Asamoah, Vice-President, Infrastructure, Private Sector and Regional Integration, called for the AfDB to develop meaningful partnerships with other institutions.

Emphasizing the importance of Africa being at the center of the new climate agreement, Simon Mizrahi, Director, Quality Assurance and Results Department, noted the negative impacts of climate change on agriculture and food security.

Alex Rugamba, CCCC Chair and Director of the AfDB’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Change, observed that while adaptation to climate change is estimated to cost Africa US$20-30 billion per year, major multilateral development banks (MDBs) jointly reported combined adaptation finance at merely US$2.7 billion for Sub-Saharan Africa over the last two years.

In his keynote presentation, Anthony Nyong, Division Manager, Compliance and Safeguards Division, outlined Africa’s expectations from the climate process and AfDB’s role in it. Following Nyong’s presentation, participants expressed concern over African countries’ ability to meet the requirements relating to intended nationally determined contributions (INDCs) by COP 21. [AfDB Press Release]