President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Dr Akinwumi Adesina says engaging with Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) is critical for inclusive and sustainable development for African citizens.
Adesina said this on Thursday, at the ongoing 2022 Civil Society Forum holding in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The theme of the forum is “Engaging Civil Society for Climate Resilience and a Just Energy Transition in Africa” and is being held physically and virtually.
The AfDB president said the theme of the event was “very timely”.
Adesina said climate change was devastating the economies of Africa and the continent was in economic distress.
“Climate change is devastating the economies of Africa and at the second ministerial meeting recently held at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, I made it clear that Africa is suffering.
“Africa is choking. And Africa is in economic distress from the impact of climate change that it did not cause.
“Africa loses between seven to 15 billion dollars annually due to the nefarious effects of climate change, and amount that is projected to rise to 50 billion dollars a year by 2030.”
He further said African countries would need on average 125 billion dollars a year between 2020 and 2030 to adapt to climate change.
Adesina said the bank was leading the charge on climate financing for Africa together with a Global Centre on Adaptation.
“We launched the African Adaptation Acceleration Programmme to mobilise 25 billion dollars for Africa.
“We are addressing the needs also of the low income countries and fragile states in Africa that depend on the resources of the African Development Fund.
“In fact, these countries face climate finance, in need of 600 billion dollars up to 2030 but they get roughly about 18 billion dollars.”
He said the 16th replenishment of the fund would open a climate action window to mobilise 13 billion dollars in resources for climate finance for the countries.
“The climate action window of the African Development Fund will support things at scale. I always say when it comes to Africa, I don’t like anything small because we got 1.3 billion people,” he said.
He said that the fund would support 20 million farmers to get access to climate resilient agricultural technologies and also support 20 million farmers with access to weather index insurance.
“And not only farmers but also pastoralists because we have a lot of conflicts today, between farmers and pastoralists. They will also have access to climate weather index insurance.
“We will revamp one million hectares of degraded land, provide water for 18 million people, and will provide 840 million cubic meters of water storage because water is life.”
He also called on the CSOs to advocate and support the ADF 16 replenishment “as it holds the great promise for supporting the most vulnerable in the face of climate change devastation”.
Adesina also said the bank was convinced that engaging with civil society was critical for inclusive and sustainable development that “truly improves the lives of people”.
He also thought the CSOs should be called “carefully surveying obligations”.
“Which means that you are to shine a light on things because every institution must be transparent, more must be impulsive and must be accountable to the people that it serves.”
He also recalled the commitments the bank made to the CSOs toward their strengthening, supporting their advocacy, level of engagements on projects, engaging finance for women, and anti-corruption and governance.
“I committed to these because I know but the ambitious goals that we have set for ourselves to achieve for Africa can only be achieved by putting people at the center of what we do.
“Therefore, I strongly believe that development must be fast-tracked. It cannot be slow because the people that we serve are longing to come out of poverty and therefore that’s our mission.
“Working with communities, the youth, the women, the private sector. non-state actors, such as civil society, are an integral part of how we reach people and how are we accountable to the people.”
He said that the CSOs were included by the bank in support of the countries.
Adesina also said the CSOs were engaged in consultations on programme based operations and their contributions on enhancing accountability and inclusive governance.
“We carefully assess high engagements with you the civil society, learning from our work and experiences and ever seeking to improve.
“In 2020, the independent development evaluation unit of the bank completed an evaluation of the bank civil society engagements over the period 2012 to 2019.”
Adesina said the evaluation reiterated the importance of the various engagements with CSOs in ensuring inclusive and participatory growth and development in Africa.
“Your work as civil society organisations will continue to be supported strongly and promoted by the African Development Bank.”
At the forthcoming COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, he urged the CSOs to further remind the developed countries on the 100-billion-dollar per year commitment to developing countries.
“Your voices shall be loud in support of the African Development Fund, ADF16, replenishment, your voices should be loud in support of the climate action window for the African Development Fund.
“Together. Let us continue to advance Africa’s needs. That is our responsibility. That is our duty. That is our obligation to ensure that Africa’s needs are not ignored.”
The AfDB president also thanked the Government of the Republic of Korea for co-financing the 2022 Civil Society Forum.
He said the Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation “are friends of Africa”.
The forum which, will end on Oct. 7, is part of the bank’s ongoing dialogue with civil society and its theme echoes the bank’s commitment to climate change and energy transition.
The forum is expected to provide a platform for constructive dialogue between the bank and CSOs on the challenges and opportunities of the climate and energy agenda ahead of COP27.
At the end of the forum, a joint roadmap will be adopted to this effect.
