Staff Reporter
The Africa Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) is ramping up its research capabilities to assist African Governments in addressing climate change through sustainable financing solutions.
The initiative comes in response to the increasing frequency of climate-related disasters across the continent, which have underscored the urgent need for better preparedness and funding mechanisms.
In recent years, Southern Africa has faced devastating El Niño-induced droughts, which have had severe effects on agriculture, water resources, and overall livelihoods.
These events have spurred organizations like the ACBF into action, advocating for stronger climate resilience measures across the region.
At a media briefing yesterday in Harare, ACBF Executive Secretary, Mamadou Biteye, emphasized the foundation's strategic efforts to bolster the capacity of African governments to manage climate risks.
He highlighted the critical need for sustainable climate financing to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change, which has become a recurring threat to development across Africa.
“African Governments are at huge risks of falling victim to climate, as has been witnessed over the years, and that can only be mitigated by sustainable climate financing, which African countries are currently lacking,” Biteye stated.
Biteye further stressed the importance of integrating climate financing into national fiscal management frameworks.
“The most critical issue is to ensure that Governments adopt ways to embed climate financing in their public financing systems so that it becomes much easier to tackle challenges associated with climate change.
“The need for climate financing has never been more urgent. The continent is increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including prolonged droughts, destructive floods, and cyclones. These extreme weather events not only threaten food security and economic stability but also pose a significant challenge to Africa's development agenda,” Biteye explained.
Given these realities, ACBF is urging African nations to re-evaluate their budgetary priorities and allocate more resources toward climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.
Development expert, Nickros Kajengo said that investing in sustainable climate financing is essential for building resilience and safeguarding future growth.
“The ACBF’s call to action comes at a time when the global community is grappling with the widespread effects of climate change, and Africa, being one of the most affected regions, must prioritize funding to support climate-resilient infrastructure and policies,” said Kajengo
Kajengo added that by embedding climate financing into national budgets, African countries can better prepare for the unpredictable effects of climate change, ensuring a more sustainable and secure future for their populations.
