Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (SEBE) Directorate

Introduction

The Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) is responsible for implementing the agriculture, rural development, blue economy and sustainable environment policies, programmes and strategies of the African Union Commission (AUC) in line with the aspirations of Agenda 2063, the associated medium-term plans and other key continental legal and policy frameworks. ARBE comprises two directorates, including the Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (SEBE). Within SEBE, there are two divisions:

Division of Sustainable Environment
Division of Blue Economy

The following units and projects fall under the Division of Sustainable Environment (Climate Change and Meteorology, Water and Environment, Biodiversity, Forestry and Wildlife, Disaster Risk Reduction and Sustainable Land Management). Meanwhile, the Division of Blue is made up of Biological and Non-Biological Resources and Ocean Governance. For more information on SEBE, read on:

2. Climate Change and Meteorology

The African Union (AU) has taken a proactive approach to tackle one of its people's most significant challenges: climate change. After many years of consultation and behind-the-scene work, the AUC recently approved the African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022-2032). It is the AUC's comprehensive blueprint to tackle climate change.

The African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan provide a broad outline for harmonized and coordinated actions to respond to the impacts of climate change and plan for the continent’s low-carbon and climate-resilient future. The strategy defines the main parameters and priorities to build African-resilient capacities for adapting to and exploiting the benefits of the mitigation potential of the continent. It seeks to ensure that institutions, strategies and decisions for climate-risk management and climate-resilient development are identified, implemented, and sustained as an integrated part of achieving sustainable development as framed by the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the SDGs.

This strategy supports the commitments made by African countries under the 2015 Paris Agreement. It is guided by the existing national climate efforts and aspirations of its 55 member states, as expressed through Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and long-term, climate-resilient development and decarbonization visions contained in member countries’ Long-Term Strategies (2050). The continent consists of diverse landscapes, ecosystems, and weather systems, which are impacted differently by climate change. Therefore, it is recognised that each member state will respond in a self-determined manner to the impacts they experience, based on their unique national circumstances and capacities to respond.

While recognising the differences in national contexts and circumstances, this strategy builds upon the shared challenges and opportunities for the continent. Agenda 2063 expresses a vision for the continent’s future. It envisions an integrated, prosperous and peaceful African continent, driven by its citizens and representing a dynamic force in the international community. Agenda 2063 emphasises that the achievement of climate-resilient economies and communities is an integral part of this vision and commits the region to play its part in supporting global climate action. The development visions and commitments expressed in Agenda 2063, therefore, form the basis of the strategy.

The strategy is also aligned with several global frameworks, including the SDGs, the UN Convention for Biological Diversity /(CBD) and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. It’s also aligned with existing regional protocols, policies and strategies that govern key sectoral and thematic areas.

In July 2009, at its 13th Ordinary Session of the General Assembly, the AU approved Decision /AU/Dec.257(XIII), establishing the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC). Since then, CAHOSCC has been working with the African Ministerial Conference on Environment (AMCEN) and the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) to advance a common African position on climate change at global fora and negotiations on climate change.

Two recent achievements of the climate change and meteorology unit include the adoption of the African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022-2032) and the Green Recovery Action Plan (GRAP).

The main partners of the AU in the implementation of its climate change and meteorology projects include the EU, UNECA, AFDB, AUDA NEPAD, USAID, NDC Partnership, AKADEMIYA, ILRI, Renapri, etc.

Climate Change Projects/Initiatives

Africa’s Engagement in Global Climate Negotiations

Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC)
African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change

Intra ACP Global Climate Change Alliance Plus (GCCA+)
AU Green Recovery Action Plan (AU GRAP)
Monitoring and Tracking the implementation of NDCs and NAPS
Climate for Development in Africa Programme (ClimDev Africa)

2.1 Intra-ACP Climate Services and Related Applications (ClimSA):

ClimSA addresses the deficit in climate services information. By doing so, it primarily contributes to the achievement of the pan-African vision of “an integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in the global arena” as laid down by the Africa Agenda 2063, the SDGs, and the implementation of the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. The significance of climate information cuts across almost all Agenda 2063 aspirations, goals, and sectors. Some of the goals and sectors include environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient economies and communities, health and nutrition, agriculture and food security, marine resources, energy, gender, disaster risk reduction, transport, peace and security, infrastructure, and others.

In addition, the ClimSA project enhances member states' capacities to implement the national development and adaptation plans. It also contributes to Africa’s action toward the achievement of the SDGs.

ClimSA Strategies:

Primarily, the ClimSA project implements the Integrated African Strategy on Meteorology (weather and climate services).
The project also contributes to implementing other strategies such as the Africa Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy, the African Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Project of Action for implementing the Sendai Framework on Disaster Risk Reduction.

Implementation of ClimSA in Africa

The implementation of the ClimSA project in Africa is undertaken at continental and regional levels. The AU Commission has the overall coordination mandate and implements other project actions (such as equipment supply to member states, training, etc.) common to all regions. At the regional level, the following Regional Climate Centres (RCCs) lead the technical implementation and provide technical support to member states in their respective regions:

AGRHYMET Regional Centre, based in Niamey, Niger, lead technical implementation in the ECOWAS region.
CAPC-AC based in Douala, Cameroon, collaborates with the AUC and ACMAD and is responsible for the ECCAS region.
ICPAC, based in Nairobi, Kenya, is responsible for the IGAD region.
The RCC Network is responsible for the IOC region.
SADC-CSC, based in Gaborone, Botswana, leads implementation in the SADC region.
ACMAD, based in Niamey, Niger, has a continental technical mandate and works in close collaboration with other RCCs.

The European Union (EU) provides financial support within the AU-EU partnership framework and the Intra-ACP Cooperation

Some Outcomes of ClimSA

Initial implementation of the project on the African continent has developed continental and regional project components as follows:

The AUC continental component with overall continental mandate of ensuring coordinated and coherent implementation of the climate services project in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
The continental technical component led by the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD)
The Economic Community for Central African States (ECCAS) component with CAPC-AC.
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) led by the AGRHYMET Regional Centre.
A component for the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) implemented by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC)
A ClimSA project component for the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC).
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) under the technical implementation leadership of the SADC Climate Services Centre (SADC-CSC).
Production of Annual Africa State of Climate Reports
Establishment and operationalization of engagement mechanisms (user interface platforms) between climate information producers and users.

Some key partners of ClimSA include the Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Regional Climate Centres (RCCs), National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHSs), the EU, Organisation of the Africa, Caribbean and pacific Group of States (OACPS), EU Joint Research Centre (JRC), European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), and World Meteorological Organisation (WMO).

2.2 The Great Green Wall Initiative for the Sahara and the Sahel (GGWSSI):

The GGWSSI is an enterprising vision of AU leaders for a green, fertile and prosperous Africa, free of famine and images of malnourished children and livestock lease linked to famine. The expected outcomes of GGWSSI include some of the following:

Repeated humanitarian crises in the African Horn and Sahel will be a thing of the past;
By 2025, land degradation trends are reversed, and people will become more resilient to climate change;
By 2050, the vast arid lands of the Sahara and the Sahel will be transformed into rural production and development hubs.

The mission of the GGWSSI is to take effective and urgent action to end or reverse land degradation and loss of biodiversity in African drylands and to ensure that ecosystems are resilient to climate change, continue to provide essential services and contribute to human well-being and the elimination of poverty and hunger.

The objective of GGWSSI is to improve the resilience to climate change of human and natural systems in the Sahel-Saharan zone through sound ecosystems’ management, sustainable development of land and water resources, protection of rural heritage and improvement of the living conditions and livelihoods of populations living in these areas.

The specific objectives of GGWSSI are (a) improve the living conditions of populations, (b) improve the state and health of ecosystems and (c) advocate & mobilise resources for SLM activities.

The role of the AUC are to:

Ensure general coordination of the implementation of the initiative;
Policy advocacy to enhance the implementation of the initiative;
Engaged in resource mobilisation to support member states in the implementation;
Provide technical support to member states;
Ensure that upscaling and extension of best practices amongst member states;
Provide progress report to the AU summit.

The implementation of the GGWSSI has been undertaken through several projects over the past decade:

USD +500 million National contributions in cash and in-kind (staff costs, logistics, policy development, resource mobilisation, field work etc.);
Over USD a million by the AUC – EU support fund supporting MS in implementation, advocacy and extension and inception processes;
1.1426 billion USD (1.1 billion for SAWAP and 4.6 Million for BRICKS – provided by GEF and World Bank;
USD 24 million to support the Actions Against Desertification in support of the Great Green Wall in five member states;
USD 8 million for GM-UNCCD – Local Environmental Coalition for a Green Union (FLEUVE) programme. project provided by EU;
USD 1.5 million for Filling the gaps provided by GEF);
USD 1.5 million Turkey – FAO project (BRIDGES - Boosting Restoration, Income, Development, Generating Ecosystem Services).

So far, the GGWSSI has produced some of the following outcomes:

The Green Climate Fund’s umbrella programme for the Great Green Wall Initiative (GCF-GGWI) set up by the GCF, IFAD and UNCCD;
One Planet Summit 2022: + USD 19 billion pledges and the creation of the Great Green Wall Initiative Accelerator to mobilise the funds pledged during the summit by partners.
Creation of the Great Green Wall Initiative and setting the foundation for its implementation;
Development of strategic documents and setting up of platforms for the mobilisation of technical and financial partners;
Support the mobilisation and engagement of member states and partners to adhere to the programme;
Support and enhance resource mobilisation efforts leading to the acquisition of USD billions to support member states in the implementation;
Provision of technical support for resource mobilisation and field implementation of the GGWI;
Support the extension to the dry lands of the continent and adhesion of the member states initially none beneficiaries.

The key partners in the implementation of the GGWSSI include AUC member states in the Sahel, Sahara, SADC region, RECs, FAO, UNCCD, UNEP, UNDP, UNDRR, UNOWAS, UNDP- SGP, Non-State Actors (CIVIC UK, One Billion Trees for Africa, TREE AID, SOS SAHEL International, Drynet, CARI, ENDA Energie, DANAYA, ORGIIS, FAGRIB, WABIONET, JAKSALLY, SPONG- BF, LEAD –Tchad), etc.

Relavant Files

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3MDKqvyl5NI&t=25s

https://www.fao.org/3/bq722e/bq722e.pdf

https://www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/europeanunion/pdf/harmonized_strategy_GGWSSI-E https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47jXq4oTUqgN_.pdf

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9APzzB6Pak&t=44s

https://www.greatgreenwall.org/about-great-green-wall

https://catalogue.unccd.int/1551_GGW_Report_ENG_Final_040920.pdf

http://www.grandemurailleverte.org/images/DOCUMENTATIONS/NIGERIA/Strategic%20Action%20Plan_Nigeria.pdf

https://landportal.org/es/library/resources/unccd1575/great-green-wall-initiative-2011-2017-achievements-and-challenges-2030

https://www.thegef.org/sites/default/files/publications/SAWAP_English_Final_1.pdf

https://ec.europa.eu/international-partnerships/programmes/growing-great-green-wall-ggw_en

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBL7HA-7T7s

2.3 Green Recovery Action Plan:

The Green Recovery Action Plan (GRAP) is a policy instrument to coordinate and stimulate urgent action to help AU member countries to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and the climate change crisis. The GRAP was launched in July 2021 by the then Chairperson of the African Union, H.E Felix Tshisekedi, president of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the presence of several African Heads of State (Denis Sassou Nguesso, President of the Republic of Congo, Wavel Ramkalawan, President of the Republic of Seychelles, and Alpha Condé, former President of the Republic of Guinea).

About six months after (February 2022), the African Union's supreme policy and decision-making organ, the General Assembly, adopted the GRAP, making it the blueprint to enable member countries to transition to green recovery.

The AU leads the GRAP in collaboration with several other organizations. Focused on five pillars (climate finance, renewable energy, biodiversity, resilient agriculture, and green and resilient cities), the GRAP seeks to support the AU in achieving Agenda 2063, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

The AU GRAP brings coordination to existing frameworks, strategies and programmes put forward by our various Economic Recovery Plans, the updated Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans, the Green Growth Strategies, Agenda 2063 and the SDGs, among others. It is an organizing framework for prioritizing and mobilizing coordinated interventions for adaptation and mitigation measures.

The GRAP is an African-led framework to mobilize partners, knowledge, and investments needed to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change. The UK Government leads a team of bilateral, multilateral, and businesses supporting the achievements of the strategic priorities of the GRAP.

What Prompted the GRAP?

Across Africa, progress on achieving the Agenda 2063, the SDGs, and the Paris Agreement has not been uniform. Far too many people have not benefited from improvements to education, healthcare and security.

COVID-19 represents the biggest global economic shock since the Great Depression and will hit Africa particularly hard due to existing vulnerabilities. As a result, food insecurity and debt are rising, and hard-won development gains are being lost.

As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds globally and in Africa, the situation remains fluid and rapidly evolving, and urgent responses, interventions, measures, and responses are required. This calls for increased agility and heightened responsiveness from African states and other agencies to intervene and contribute positively in a timely and meaningful manner.

COVID-19 does not change the urgency of addressing African (and broader) environmental challenges, but it has accelerated decision points that could have substantial impacts. As countries move from containing the virus to economic recovery, choices are being made that will shape trajectories on emissions, resilience, and biodiversity for decades to come. A clean and resilient recovery in Africa will lead to employment in the industries of the future whilst ensuring that we address the linked challenges of public health, prosperity, and climate change.

In thinking about how the COVID-19 recovery can be clean, resilient, and inclusive, we do not need to start from scratch. Countries’ national or sectoral masterplans, climate change adaptation plans and the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – as well as a host of other national plans – provide blueprints for action.

Within this context, the GRAP will tackle the combined challenges of the COVID-19 recovery and climate change, by focusing on critical areas of joint priority, including climate finance, renewable energy, resilient agriculture, resilient cities, land use and biodiversity.

What is the Relationship Between the GRAP and the Agenda 2063?

Agenda 2063 is Africa’s master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. This 15-point plan seeks to place Africa on the path to inclusive and sustainable development and emerge as a dominant player on the global scene. The GRAP demonstrates Africa's leadership in new, clean, sustainable, inclusive, and equitable growth paths. As a result, the GRAP is fully aligned with African Heads of State priorities and the major development plans such as Agenda 2063.

Achievements

Development of strategic documents (Resource Mobilization Strategy, Capacity Requirements for Operationalization, and Implementation of the GRAP, Communications and Outreach Strategy, etc.).
Initiating the GRAP Access to Climate Finance Study.
Setting up of the Climate Finance and Renewable Energy Task Forces.

Relevant Links:

3. Biodiversity, Forestry, and Wildlife:

The AU is committed to protecting biodiversity and ecosystems from further destruction and degradation. The Commission supports and facilitates efforts by member states, through the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) to secure a post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework that aims to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by the year 2030. It is also working with partners under the umbrella of the Africa Natural Capital Accounting Community of Practice (NCA COP) to build momentum and mainstream natural capital accounting in statistical production and policy across Africa through capacity building and knowledge sharing between government institutions, non-governmental organizations and academia. The AU is also doing so through the operationalisation and implementation of the AU Green Recovery Action Plan (GRAP), which addresses biodiversity and nature as one of its five strategic pillars.

In addition, the Commission is committed to combating unsustainable wildlife exploitation and illegal wildlife trafficking through the implementation of the African Strategy on Combatting Illegal Exploitation and Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora in Africa; domestication and implementation of the Rio Conventions related to biodiversity and continental and regional policies aimed at addressing sustainable land and ocean management, food production and sustainable forestry management.

At a June 2015 meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa, the Executive Council of the AU endorsed the African Strategy on Combatting Illegal Exploitation and Illegal Exploitation of Wild Fauna and Flora in Africa through Decision EX.CL/Dec.879 (XXVII). The strategy has since become the reference document for AU member States and its partners on the conservation of Africa’s Wild Fauna and Flora.

This African strategy guides a common and coordinated response by African countries to combat the illegal exploitation and trade in wild fauna and flora. The strategy promotes a strong national, regional, and international response towards safeguarding all wild fauna and flora in Africa and complements all other ongoing programmes, initiatives and activities. The strategy addresses issues relating to source, transit, and destination countries of illegally traded wild fauna and flora and their products (through 2016- 2025). In particular, it aims to provide an agreed Africa-wide framework for operationalising decisions reached at various international fora and mobilising resources to support and ensure its implementation.

The strategy builds upon and supports actions taken by African governments to implement their obligations and commitments under international and regional conventions agreements such as the Lusaka and Maputo and international agreements, under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) such as the African Elephant Action Plan.

Biodiversity, Forestry, and Wildlife-Related Projects include the following:

The ABS Capacity Development Initiative
Advancing Africa’s Biodiversity Agenda

Support to the AGN on Biodiversity
Natural Capital Accounting

Partners in the implementation of the biodiversity, forestry, and wildlife work of the AUC include the African Group of Negotiators on Biodiversity, Regional Economic Communities, COMIFAC, Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF); IGAD Horn of Africa Wildlife Enforcement Network (HAWEN), CITES, UNDP, UNEP, WWF, AWF, Sweden, GiZ, etc.

Relevant Files:

AU Wildlife Strategy
Report of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment Sixteenth session Ministerial segment held in Libreville, 15 and 16 June 2017
UN General Assembly A/RES/73/343 on Tackling illicit trafficking in wildlife
Monitoring and Reporting Tool/Platform

4. Disaster Risk Reduction Unit:

The AU Commission institutionalised the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Unit following the 2019 institutional reform. This remarkable achievement follows decades of advocacy backed by unwavering political commitments by the African Ministers on disaster risk reduction. The Unit envisions an Africa that is resilient to disaster risks. This vision contributes to the three of the seven overarching aspirations of the agenda 2063 of the AU:

A prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development;
A peaceful and secure Africa;
Africa as a strong, united, resilient, and influential global player and partner.

The DRR Unit’s vision also seeks to promote sound environmental and natural resource management and resilience to disasters and climate change.

Context

For the past decades, Africa has made significant gains in policy development. In 2004, the AU developed the Africa Regional Strategy for DRR, which sought to give policy guidance for DRR initiatives on the continent. In addition, the AU developed a programme of Action to implement the Strategy. Following the adoption of the Hyogo and Sendai Frameworks, the Programme of Action was revised to align with these global frameworks. In 2017, the AU Heads of State Summit adopted the Programme of Action for implementing the Sendai Framework for DRR in Africa for 2015-2030. In addition to the policy frameworks above, several high-level decisions were made that indicate the increased political commitment by the AU member states to the DRR agenda. Key developments include establishing a DRR Unit at the AUC, including DRR positions in the AUC structure, and the recent appointment of a DRR Champion by the AU Summit of Heads of State.

However, despite ongoing efforts to curb rising disaster risk, the frequency of disaster events has further heightened as the early days of the year 2022 were characterised by multiple disasters affecting different regions of the continent. During the 2021/2022 season, the African continent has suffered heavy flooding affecting Madagascar, South Sudan, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mauritius, Mozambique, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Situational reports from the Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Action System (AMHEWAS) situation room indicate that over 1,246,468 people were affected by floods triggered by tropical cyclones. More than 145,832 people were displaced, over 139 lives were lost, 378 people were injured, and 26,137 houses were damaged in the affected countries at varying scales. The countries with the most affected population by floods were Madagascar (more than 360,394), South Sudan (700,000), Malawi (216,972) and Mozambique, with more than 141,500 people affected. Further, the horn of Africa has been experiencing drought conditions, with 4.6 million people at risk of food insecurity in Somalia, 1.6 million in Ethiopia, and 2.8 million people in Kenya. In Southern Africa, drought in southern Angola has affected 1.58 million people.

These recent events further compounded the already existing vulnerability conditions on the continent. In addition, underdevelopment, high incidents of hazards, climate change, inequalities and poverty, conflicts, and other governance-related challenges worsen the continent’s vulnerability to disasters.

Strategy

The Africa Regional Strategy guides the DRR agenda on the continent for DRR. The Programme of Action (PoA) for implementing the Sendai Framework for DRR (2015-2030) is aligned with the Africa Regional Strategy for DRR. The PoA aims to substantially reduce disaster risk and losses by 2030 by implementing four priority areas and 12 targets.

The four priorities are:

Understanding disaster risk;
Strengthening disaster risk governance;
Investing in disaster risk for resilience;
Enhancing disaster preparedness for effective response and to build back better in recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction.

The PoA aims to deliver on the following 12 targets (including the seven global targets of the Sendai Framework):

Substantially reduce continental disaster mortality by 2030;
Substantially reduce the number of affected by disasters in Africa by 2030;
Reduce direct disaster economic loss in relation to the continental GDP by 2030;
Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services by 2030;
Substantially increase the number of countries with national and sub-national/local disaster risk reduction strategies by 2020;
Substantially enhance international cooperation;
Substantially increase the availability of and access to multi-hazard early warning systems and disaster risk information and assessment to people by 2030;
Substantially increase the number of countries with DRR in their educational systems;
Increase integration of DRR in regional and national sustainable development and climate change adaptation frameworks, mechanisms and processes;
Substantially expand the scope of and increase the number of sources for domestic financing;
Increase the number of countries with and periodically testing risk-informed preparedness plans and response and post-disaster recovery and reconstruction mechanisms;
Substantially increase the number of regional networks or partnerships for knowledge management and capacity development.

4.1 DRR Projects

Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance for Resilience in African regions and countries

Disaster risk governance in Africa has evolved and improved significantly over the past decades. In 2004, the Africa Regional Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction was adopted, the first of its kind on the continent. The adoption of the Hyogo Framework for Action: Building Resilience of Nations and Communities 2005-2015 and Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 added significant impetus to the disaster risk governance on the African continent. In translating the three key frameworks into action on the continent, the AU developed successive programmes of action, with the latest being the programme of action for implementing the Sendai Framework for DRR 2015-2030.

However, there are major weaknesses in the overall disaster risk governance across the continent. One of the targets shared by both the PoA and the Sendai Framework is to increase the number of countries with national and local DRR strategies. One of the key findings of the inaugural biennial report on the implementation of the PoA. By 2018, only 22 countries had DRR strategies, and only 4.5% of the countries with strategies were fully implementing those strategies. Key factors contributing to the low implementation include limited institutional capacity, inadequate financing, lack of legislative mandates for disaster risk management institutions to undertake proactive disaster risk management actions, and weak political will.

To address the disaster risk governance challenges, the AUC developed the programme “Strengthening Disaster Risk Governance for Resilience in Africa Regions, Countries and Communities”. The programme aims at strengthening disaster risk governance for resilience in African regions and countries”. The programme aims to implement three pillars:

Mobilisation of political will and commitment for DRR;
Coordination of DRR programmes; and
Policy advisory support for the implementation of the PoA.

2. Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning Early Action System (AMHEWAS)

In responding to the complex risk and related challenges concerning the realisation of a truly functional multi-hazard early warning and early action in Africa, the AUC developed the Africa Multi-Hazard Early Warning and Early Action System Programme (AMHEWAS).

The logical intervention underpinning the AMHEWAS is that if multi-hazard early warning and early action capacities and capabilities of the AUC, RECs and MS are interoperable and better coordinated, then the anticipatory actions, preparedness and responses to disasters will be undertaken in a timely and coordinated manner, leading to reduced disaster losses and quicker recovery time intervals, thereby reducing the demand for humanitarian assistance and forced displacements and migration.

AMHEWAS aims to achieve four outcomes:

Multi-hazard risk knowledge is enhanced;
Capacity detection, monitoring, analysis and forecasting is enhanced;
Disaster risk information is available and accessible to the African public;
Africa's preparedness and response capabilities are strengthened.

3. Strengthen Disaster Risk Reduction and Adaptation for resilience in the Sahel

Countries in the Sahel have been dealing with successive political and humanitarian crises for years. Weak governance and its impact on state institutions, including insufficient border management, have dramatically diminished the capacity of the Sahelian states to effectively deliver basic services, promote broad-based political participation and protect human rights. The situation has left the Sahelian countries increasingly vulnerable to insecurity resulting from armed conflict, terrorist activities, illicit trafficking, and organized crime. Human development in the region is among the lowest in the world. Over the years, recurring food and nutritional crises caused by climate change, environmental degradation, drought, floods, poorly functioning markets, low agricultural productivity, poverty and conflict have seriously eroded the ability of households to withstand repeated and increasingly frequent shocks.

With the achievement of the SDGs partly predicated on the extent to which Sahelian countries enhance their resilience to disaster and climate risk, there is a compelling need to develop extensive and long-term capacity in resilience-building, integrating climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction into development to fully address the predictable, quick-onset and slow-onset phenomena. In this regard, this project is contributing to strengthening the capacities of ECOWAS’s DRR Unit, the AUC’s DRR Unit for operationalising SDG-DRR targets and indicators, the Sendai Framework for DRR, and the Paris Climate Agreement in the Sahel. The project also supports other regional authorities within the Sahel, such as LCBC, CILSS, etc. and Sahelian countries to fully implement the AU Programme of Action on Disaster Risk Reduction and the ECOWAS Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy and its Plan of Action (2015-2030). It will also contribute to the ECOWAS regional strategic programme to reduce vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in West Africa.

This Project intends to achieve the following results:

Output 1: Increased capacity of tracking and monitoring progress on SFDRR and AU Programme of Action implementation in the Sahel region through enhanced data collection, analysis and reporting systems;
Output 2: Strengthened regional and multi-country regulatory, policy and budgetary frameworks for translating disaster and climate data into risk informed development;
Output 3: Enhanced regional recovery and resilience-building processes that address underlying disaster and climate change risks and restore pathways to sustainable development in the Sahel countries;
Output 4: Enhanced Regional capacities for urban risk management;
Output 5: Enhanced innovations and knowledge on risk informed development through regional dialogue and South-South exchange.

Some Outcomes

Operationalisation of the Programme of Action (PoA) on Monitoring and Reporting system;
Biennial Report on Disaster Risk Reduction;
Institutionalisation of DRR in AUC governance;
Operationalisation of the mainstreaming of DRR within the AUC departments;
Establishment of Africa Youth Advisory Board on Disaster Risk Reduction (AYAB DRR) and Africa Science and Technology Advisory Group on Disaster Risk Reduction (AfSTAG DRR);
Inauguration and operationalisation of AMHEWAS Situation Room.

In implementing its work, the DRR units works with the following: EU, Italy, Sweden, UNDRR, UNDP, IFRC, AfDB and the World Bank/GFDRR.

Relevant Links

Africa Science and Technology Advisory Group (AfSTAG DRR)

Gender and Disaster Risk Management Platform

5. Water and Environment Unit:

The Water and Environment Unit aims to help Africa achieve sustainable growth and improved livelihoods through sound environmental and natural resources management. The vision contributes to four of the aspirations of the Agenda 2063:

A prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth and sustainable development;
An integrated continent, politically united and based on the ideals of Pan-Africanism and the vision of Africa’s Renaissance;
An Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women and youth, and caring for children;
Africa as a strong, united, resilient and influential global player and partner.

Context

Agenda 2063 is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. This 15-point plan seeks to place Africa on the path to inclusive and sustainable development and emerge as a dominant player on the global scene. Achieving this goal is a significant challenge, particularly with a fast expanding population exerting massive pressure on environmental, water, and other natural resources.

Water and Environment Unit Projects

1. Promoting Multilateral Environment Agreements (MEAs)

The Department of Agriculture Rural Development, Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (DARBE) of the AUC is working in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) on a project titled: Project of Enforcing Environmental Treaties, Implementation in African, Caribbean and Pacific Countries Phase III. Building the capacity of AU member states is required to effectively implement The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Stockholm Convention, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), etc.). UNEP coordinates this work with the financial support of the EU.

2. Water and Sanitation

The Unit is engaged in implementing the Sharm el-Sheikh Commitments on Water and Sanitation and its successor on accelerating SDG 6 on Water and Sanitation. In so doing, the unit contributes to the accomplishments of the Agenda 2063 on water security, water quality monitoring network, and implementation of the African Policy Guidelines on Sanitation, as well as its endeavour to facilitate ending open defecation in the continent. In addition, plans are underway to develop a revised Africa Water Vision 2025. The unit is working to establish greater partnerships to address better the continent's water, sanitation, and surveillance issues.

3. Integrated Assessment of Air Pollution and Climate Change for Sustainable Development

The AUC, in partnership with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the Regional Office for Africa of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) is developing an integrated assessment of air pollution and climate change in Africa. An Assessment is being done to determine how Africa can meet its development objectives and priorities as articulated in Agenda 2063 while reducing emissions that drive air pollution and climate change. The assessment will provide information for policy and decision makers regarding the benefits of improved air quality for human health, ecosystems, climate, and food security in Africa.

4. Africa Air Quality Management (AQM) Programme

Air pollution from energy generation, industries, construction sites, agricultural practices, transport systems, and the combustion of fossil fuels continues to grow in Africa. Air pollution affects the environment, health, as well as development. Thus, managing air quality to reduce the levels of air pollutants becomes critical.

The Commission, in partnership with UNEP-ROA and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, are developing an Africa Air Quality Management Programme. The key goal of the Africa AQM Programme is to inform the member states and other stakeholders such as RECs in the formulation and implementation of AQM Plans and actions to prevent further deterioration of air quality and reduce air pollution for the protection of human health and the environment.

The key partners of the Water and Environment Unit include UNEP, Climate and Clean Air Coalition, Stockholm Environment Institute, EU, AfDB, and World Bank/GFDRR.

6. Blue Economy Division:

The AUC institutionalized the Blue Economy Division in its governance arrangement following the 2019 institutional reform. Since then, African Leaders have decided to embed it as a key component of the mandate of the AUC. To this end, the institutional reform process of the AUC endowed its senior leadership with the blue economy portfolio. It established a Blue Economy division in May 2021 with the primary goal of implementing the Africa Blue Economy Strategy and contributing to the agenda 2063. The Division also contributes to the overall objective of the Department of Agriculture Rural Development, Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy (DARBE) and the Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Directorate (SEBE).

Strategy

The African Blue Economy Strategy (ABES) was adopted in 2019 to advance the blue the economy agenda in Africa. An implementation plan was subsequently developed. This strategy rests on five thematic areas:

Fisheries, aquaculture, conservation, and sustainable aquatic ecosystems.
Shipping/transportation, trade, ports, maritime security, safety, and enforcement.
Coastal and maritime tourism, climate change, resilience, environment, infrastructure.
Sustainable energy and mineral resources and innovative industries; and
Polices, institutional and governance, employment, job creation and poverty eradication, innovative financing.

In pursuit of its objectives, the Division aims to achieve four sets of outcomes that inform its workstreams:

Policy and Governance: Comprehensive policies enabling the blue economy are adopted, understood, and promoted across AU member states and Regional Economic Communities. Frameworks ensuring the sustainability, security and productivity of aquatic resources are developed. Reporting, monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are deployed.
Socio-Economic Outcomes: Existing sectors of the blue economy are optimised while new sectors are unlocked to contribute to economic growth. Innovation and scientific output are enhanced. The economic opportunities, quality of life, and food security of communities are amplified. Women and youth are empowered through the blue economy.
Environmental Outcomes: Marine and freshwater resources are understood, protected, and where possible, restored. Conservation efforts are promoted. Environmental considerations are integrated into policy and economic output. Aquatic biodiversity is protected. Ecosystem services are accounted for and leveraged for Africa's benefit.
Stakeholder Engagement: Africa's priorities on blue economy are strongly articulated internationally. Common African positions are developed through multistakeholder engagement. Gender, youth, and indigenous considerations are mainstreamed in blue economy policy and projects. Capacity building and resource mobilisation strategies are deployed.

Achievements