Prof. Patrick V. Verkooijen

During the Africa Forward Summit at the University of Nairobi, I had the honour of hosting President Emmanuel Macron alongside President William Ruto as we marked a defining moment for innovation on the continent, launching a landmark science and engineering complex as part of our Big 5 agenda - connecting talent, research, and industry, and accelerating ideas into enterprise to power Africa’s digital future.

This is a defining moment. I commend the University of Nairobi Moot Team for advancing UoN, Kenya, and Africa to new heights of global excellence.

History made in Vienna!! The University of Nairobi Faculty of Law Moot Team has, for the FIRST time, advanced to the elimination rounds of the 33rd Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Vienna, Austria. The team also clinched the Eric Bergsten Award for Best Team Orals among teams advancing to the elimination stages. Competing against 400+ universities from over 100 countries, UoN was the ONLY Kenyan team and just the SECOND African team to reach the elimination rounds proudly placing Kenya and Africa among the world’s top-performing law schools. Congratulations to Ayaga Max Liambililah, Hubert Wandeto, Mbarak Khalid, William Philip, Amanda Faizer, and Patience Kathambi for this remarkable achievement. #UoNstars # weareUoN @vismootvienna

“Every month across Africa, one million young people enter the labour market, yet only a quarter secure formal employment.” Addressing the Africa Forward Future Makers Forum, Chancellor @Prof_PatrickV described the newly inaugurated Engineering and Science Complex @uonbi unveiled by H.E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto and H.E. Emmanuel Macron as a transformative step toward bridging education, research, industry, and innovation to create “jobs, jobs, jobs” for young Africans. “This initiative is not just for Nairobi or Kenya, it is a prototype for Africa,” he added. #WeareUoN #AfricaForward2026

Thankful to H.E. President Ruto for his continued partnership and support to the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) 2.0, Africa’s flagship, African-owned and African-led climate adaptation initiative.

Our partnership with the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA) continues to strengthen Kenya and Africa’s climate action. The collaboration gives priority to resilient infrastructure, agriculture and water management. With the Africa headquarters of the organisation being established in Nairobi, the GCA will continue playing a key role in unlocking finance for climate adaptation, especially through the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme. The programme is building resilience and confronting the harsh realities of climate change with practical and lasting solutions. Met Supervisory Board of GCA Chair Macky Sall, who is also the former President of Senegal, at State House Nairobi.

Launching Adaptation Insights 03 – A Practical Roadmap for Scaling Digital Climate Advisory Services in Africa 🌾 Registration is now open for GCA’s webinar marking the launch of our new Adaptation Insights report! Discover how Digital Climate Advisory Services can become one of the most powerful tools for climate adaptation in African agriculture. 🗓️ 23 February 2026 🕝 2 - 3pm CET 📍 Virtual, Zoom 🔗 Register here: brnw.ch/21wZWGS @CGIAR

Thankful to H.E. President Ruto for the opportunity to present AAAP at CAHOSCC, on the margins of the 39th AU Summit in Addis Ababa. Adaptation is no longer a side issue. It’s an investment imperative for Africa’s growth, stability, and prosperity.

“Water insecurity and climate fragility are no longer environmental concerns — they are defining security challenges of our time" H.E. Macky Sall, Chair of GCA and 4th President of Senegal 📄 Read the report: brnw.ch/21wZWUv

Valentine’s Day feels different when you witness quiet courage. My wife Betsy meets even her toughest health challenges with grace and resilience. She is, and always will be, the core strength in my life. Grateful for a love that endures through every season.

France today confirmed support to the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) 2.0, Africa’s flagship, African-owned and African-led climate adaptation initiative. This expression of support is part of the momentum generating efforts towards the February 2026 AU Summit and the May 2026 Africa-France Summit, co-convened by HE Emmanuel Macron, President of France, and HE William S. Ruto, President of Kenya and CAHOSCC Chair. Read the press release here: gca.org/news/france-re… #AAAP2.0

La défense des droits humains est une exigence universelle. Mais, elle ne saurait s’accommoder ni de complaisance, ni, a fortiori, de connivences partisanes. Dès lors, prétendre désigner l’ancien Président de la République, Monsieur Macky Sall, comme « coupable » de crimes politiques, sans la moindre forme de procès, relève d’une posture en totale contradiction avec la probité qu’implique l’engagement pour les droits humains. Les enjeux liés à une éventuelle accession d’un ancien Président sénégalais à la tête de l’Organisation des Nations unies devraient, au contraire, stimuler le patriotisme de chaque citoyen et encourager l’apaisement des tensions politiques fratricides. Ces querelles internes nuisent gravement à l’image du Sénégal et entament son crédit sur la scène internationale. Il est indéniable qu’une candidature du Président Macky Sall au poste de Secrétaire général de l’ONU constituerait une opportunité historique. Elle renforcerait la visibilité du Sénégal, offrirait à l’Afrique une voix plus influente dans les grandes décisions mondiales et consacrerait davantage l’ancrage de notre continent dans la gouvernance internationale. Il serait, dès lors, impardonnable que le successeur du Président Macky Sall accorde du crédit à certaines voix qui, manifestement, œuvrent à fragiliser les intérêts stratégiques du Sénégal et de l’Afrique. Une telle posture constituerait une erreur présidentielle aux conséquences historiques.

At the Special Africa Leaders’ Meeting on Climate Adaptation, H.E. Ambassador @SMHaderaAbera, State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, on behalf of H.E. Prime Minister @AbiyAhmedAli, highlighted the need for concrete measures and changes to bridge the significant financial gap required to achieve climate adaptation goals across Africa. Ethiopia reaffirmed its support for the successful implementation of the second phase of the #AAAP and called for enhanced and innovative climate financing mechanisms to further advance adaptation efforts on the continent. We thank Ethiopia for its leadership in positioning Africa as a key player in global climate action, notably through ACS2, where #AAAP2.0 was called for by H.E. President Ruto. GCA looks forward to Ethiopia hosting COP32, marking an African COP on the global stage.

At the Special Africa Leaders’ Meeting on Climate Adaptation, President of the Libyan Presidential Council and Chair of AMCEN-20, H.E. Mohamed al-Menfi highlighted the growing climate pressures facing Libya and the wider continent. He commended the #AAAP2.0 as a practical framework that connects adaptation with resilient growth and transforms climate risks into investment and development opportunities. We thank President al-Menfi for his leadership and commitment to advancing adaptation across Africa.

At the Special Africa Leaders’ Meeting on Climate Adaptation, GCA Chair @Macky_Sall underscored Africa’s role as a source of solutions and highlighted the AAAP’s strong delivery in its first phase. He thanked the @AfDB_Group, @_AfricanUnion and key partners for their commitment and called for renewed support to drive #AAAP2.0, mobilize private finance, and ensure vulnerable communities remain at the center of action. "AAAP still needs the millions in order to shape the billions, so that we can shift the trillions. Today, therefore, marks a litmus test for the continent and our trusted partners: whether together we can act to unleash Africa’s adaptation markets.”

At the Special Africa Leaders’ Meeting on Climate Adaptation, GCA Honorary Chair Ban Ki-moon expressed deep appreciation to the partners and donors driving the #AAAP and their leadership in advancing climate adaptation across the continent. He called on Africa’s partners to respond to the ambition of #AAAP2.0 and scale up investment in solutions already delivering impact for communities most at risk. “I call on the international community to live up to its commitments. I call upon development partners in a position to do so, to come forward now with new support. Time is running out for Africa on the climate crisis.”

Now published: Adaptation Insights 02 – Investing in Nature 📢 This January, we held our inaugural webinar marking the launch of our new Adaptation Insights report! Key takeways include: 🌱 Nature’s value remains undervalued, despite strong benefits to cost ratios ⚙️ Strategic public finance can effectively crowd in private capital for nature financing ✅ Robust, quantified evidence is essential to build investor confidence 📈 Scaling NbS from pilots to national level unlocks resilience benefits 🛠️ Innovative instruments – such as carbon finance for resilient transport – can play a catalytic role Thank you to Dorothy Maseke (Head of ANCA Secretariat & Lead Nature Finance and TNFD at FSD Africa), Savina Carluccio (Executive Director at ICSI) and Katie Momber (Senior Programme Manager at ICSI) for their valuable contributions, alongside Adele Cadario, Global Lead at GCA. Read the report: gca.org/reports/adapta…

At the Special Africa Leaders’ Meeting on Climate Adaptation convened by H.E. President @WilliamsRuto, Mr. @OThonke, Deputy Minister and Climate Ambassador of Denmark, reaffirmed Denmark’s strong support for the AAAP. @DanishMFA He noted that #AAAP Phase 1 has delivered tangible results and confirmed Denmark as one of the first partners to support #AAAP2.0. Mr. Thonke also called on other AAAP funding partners to join Denmark in backing the next phase, underscoring the importance of sustaining momentum to scale adaptation finance and embed climate adaptation within Africa’s broader economic development agenda.

GCA sincerely thanks Hon. Monique Barbut, Minister for Ecological Transition, Biodiversity, and International Negotiations on Climate and Nature of @gouvernementFR, representing H.E. President @EmmanuelMacron, for France’s support at the Special Africa Leaders’ Meeting on Climate Adaptation. “France is proud to be a committed partner of this initiative. We have already contributed €10 million between 2023 and 2024, and we support #AAAP2.0.” At a time of global uncertainty, France’s engagement reinforces climate adaptation as a driver of growth, stability, and shared prosperity. Together with the @_AfricanUnion and @AfDB_Group we look forward to scaling solutions that strengthen economies and safeguard livelihoods across Africa.