IANS | 10 Sep, 2023
The African Union, the United Nations and the African Development
Bank (AfDB) have said that they are providing African states with $200
million to strengthen the capacity of the continent to respond to
climate change.
Harsen Nyambe, director of the Sustainable
Environment and Blue Economy Directorate at the African Union Commission
(AUC), said in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, that part of the grant
will be channeled to African countries to enable them to observe weather
changes so that local communities can adapt to and mitigate the effects
of climate change, Xinhua news agency reported.
"We will also
develop a mobile application that will facilitate real-time tracking of
extreme weather in Africa," Nyambe said at the Africa Climate Week.
Nyambe
revealed that the funding will also support African scientists to
conduct research on climate change so that the continent can negotiate
climate agreements that promote the interests of the region.
He
added that Africa will also receive financial assistance to enable its
small-scale farmers to access drought-resistant seeds that will help the
region adapt to climate change.
Antonio Pedro, acting executive
secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA),
said that the funding will be utilized to create an enabling environment
for widespread access to climate information.
"This includes the
development of comprehensive strategies for communication, outreach and
advocacy so that vital climate information reaches all stakeholders,"
Pedro noted.