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Africa Adaptation Programme shares country experiences and capacity building initiatives at ISDR Global Platform Side Event
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The Africa Adaptation Programme (AAP) recently hosted a side event at the ISDR Global Platform in Geneva that took place on May 11th, 2011. The purpose of the side event, “Activating Africa’s Adaptive Capacity – Climate Change Challenges and Lessons from the Africa Adaptation Programme,” was to showcase capacity-development results related to gender mainstreaming and climate data and information management for AAP countries, as well as AAP’s disaster risk reduction work. The event attracted a large attendance, completely filling the 100-person room. There was a very strong African presence among the attendees, including Ghana's full delegation, representatives from Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Mali, Togo, Gabon, Ethiopia, among others. AAP received a lot of positive feedback and interesting questions during the event and afterward. Some individuals approached AAP asking how their country could join AAP.
The side event included presentations from several members of the AAP team and country representatives, as well as Minister Koichi Mizushima from the Japanese Permanent Mission in Geneva. Minister Mizushima expressed the Japanese Government’s high expectations of AAP and the hope that the side event would build momentum towards the successful outcome of COP 17.
Representatives from two AAP countries, Kenya and Ghana, attended the event to present their experiences with the AAP. Kenya is currently implementing the AAP’s Climate Action Intelligence initiative, a tool that allows countries to understand the complex set of stakeholders that are active in the field of climate change. “Climate Action Intelligence helps gain clarity of who does what, when and where,” said Mr. Moses Omedi Jura, Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources.
Ms. Ruby Sandhu-Rojon, Resident Representative UNDP Ghana also presented experiences from the AAP. “Ghana needs to shift the national agenda from a disaster response approach to disaster preparedness for which AAP’s capacity building component is crucial. AAP brings all partners together in a coherent and comprehensive manner,” said Ms. Sandhu-Rojon. AAP’s holistic approach to adaptation and disaster risk reduction is ensuring integration into development policy overall.
In addition to the countries experiences, two AAP experts attended and presented on two of AAP’s capacity-building initiatives. Dr. Joseph Intsiful, Data and Information Management Expert, is coordinating the component working ensure countries have real access to the best available data and information on climate variability and impacts to facilitate national decision-making.
Dr. Rose Mwebaza, AAP Gender expert, explained that climate change and natural disasters will likely magnify existing gender inequalities. The AAP has made the issue of addressing gender an integral part of the programme. “AAP’s integrated gender approach supports countries to mainstream gender in national climate change response strategies and ensures the inclusion of gender in all AAP’s capacity building programmes,” said Dr. Mwebaza.
AAP’s Programme Manager Mr. Ian Rector concluded the side event with some important final messages. Mr. Rector mentioned that cohesiveness and comprehensiveness, building bridges and bringing stakeholders together are essential to integrate climate change adaptation with long-term results for sustainable development. Examples have shown that preparedness and forward-thinking integration pays off. AAP’s success will come about through changing the status quo to enforce appropriate actions now that will have lasting, long-term impacts.
AAP is a flagship programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), established in 2008 in partnership with UNIDO, UNICEF and WFP, and funded by a $92.1 million grant from the Government of Japan. The programme assists the governments of 20 African countries to promote integrated and comprehensive approaches to climate change adaptation. For more information on the Africa Adaptation Programme, please visit www.undp-adaptation.org/africaprogramme.
