Belgium pledges EUR 24 million to new climate adaptation projects in Africa

NAIROBI, 6th September, 2023 (WAM) — At the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, Belgium has pledged EUR 24 million EUR to a number of new projects that will be launched in 2023 and 2024 in Burundi, Guinea, Mali, Senegal and Tanzania and that will contribute to climate adaptation with regard to agriculture, sustainable cities and biodiversity.

In addition to its sizeable contributions to the Green Climate Fund (20 million EUR/year) and the Global Environment Facility (92,5 million EUR for 2022-2025) Belgium also supports various initiatives such as the UNDP Climate Promise, the Systemic Observations Financing Facility (early warning systems) and the Central African Forest Initiative, of which African countries are direct beneficiaries.

Belgium, through its international cooperation programme, has a long-standing engagement with Africa as the priority partner of its international climate action and financing, as illustrated by recent initiatives.

In 2021 Belgium launched a specific regional programme (2022-2026) of 50 million EUR on climate in the Sahel as a contribution to the 2030 objectives of the Great Green Wall (GGW). The programme aims to sustainably improve the living conditions of vulnerable populations in the Sahel through integrated management and restoration of natural ecosystems. In April 2023 Belgium decided to allocate an additional 52,5 million EUR to the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) largely benefiting African countries. In June 2023 Belgium and Mozambique signed a 25 million EUR cooperation agreement that is fully committed to the fight against climate change.

“The majority of Belgium’s international climate finance goes to climate adaptation in Africa in the form of grants”, says Ambassador Luc Jacobs, Special Envoy for Climate and Environment who represents Belgium at the Summit, adding that “Belgium particularly invests in climate projects that strengthen the co-benefits with biodiversity and sustainable forest management, that support resilient and climate smart agriculture or that promote sustainable urban development”