Prof. Patrick V. Verkooijen
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@Prof_PatrickV
Chancellor, University of Nairobi.
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.
Chaired the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) meeting on the sidelines of the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
This evening, the Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. @ymahmoudali delivered a statement at the virtual meeting of the Africa Adaptation & Development Emergency Leaders’ Meeting, chaired by H.E. President @WilliamsRuto & attended by Heads of State and Government from Africa, partner countries, leaders of international financial institutions, & strategic partners. Chairperson Youssouf underscored that “Africa is on the frontlines of a #climate crisis it did not create.” He noted that droughts, floods, & rising temperatures are eroding lives, economies, & ecosystems, while shrinking climate finance threatens decades of hard-won development gains. “This is not only a climate emergency,” he emphasised. “It is a development, justice, & security emergency.” Looking beyond #COP30, one truth is clear: the world cannot meet its climate goals without Africa, & Africa cannot unlock its full potential without predictable & equitable adaptation finance at scale, he added. H.E. Mr. Youssouf further noted that Africa brings solutions: youth-led innovation, climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, resilient infrastructure, & nature-based solutions. With the right finance and technology, Africa can lead global green growth, he said. He concluded by making a call that the launch of #AAAP2.0 (2026–2030) must unlock large-scale adaptation finance, private investment, integrate resilience into development planning, & center people—especially women and youth. “Adaptation is development,” the Chairperson stressed. “Every road, school, hospital, - farm must be climate-resilient.” Read @ au.int/en/pressreleas…
Africa is stepping into its next phase of climate resilience. Leaders are aligning adaptation, development, and macro-economic stability to unlock resilient growth across the continent. At the centre of this effort is the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme (AAAP), the continent’s flagship platform to scale up climate adaptation while supporting jobs, food security, and public health. The programme is powered by a strong partnership between the African Union Commission, Africa Development Bank, and the Global Centre on Adaptation, bringing political leadership, finance and technical expertise together to accelerate adaptation at scale. This partnership is helping align adaptation investment with development finance at a time of tightening fiscal space and rising climate risks. Convened a virtual Special Africa Leaders’ Meeting on Climate Adaptation for Heads of State and other partners, reaffirming our shared priorities to mobilise concrete partnerships and scale up resilient financing across Africa. Among those who joined the meeting were Presidents Hakainde Hichilema (Zambia) and Mohammed Al-Menfi (Libya), African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, and former President of Senegal Macky Sall, who is also the chair of the Global Centre on Adaptation Supervisory Board. Countries represented at the ministerial level included Ghana, Norway, Mauritius and France, among others.
