Ressource : “CSO High-Level Event at COP28 Final Report”
- Rationale: This comprehensive report details the deliberations and outcomes of a high-level event focused on CSO engagement in climate action and finance at COP28. A highlight is the discussion of the Africa Climate Change Fund (ACCF), a crucial multi-donor trust fund managed by the AfDB. The report describes how the ACCF provides small direct grants, ranging from US$250,000 to US$1 million, to CSOs, including NGOs, for projects specifically addressing climate change. This represents a significant direct financing mechanism from a leading African financial institution.
- Analysis: The AfDB’s establishment and active promotion of the ACCF demonstrates a clear institutional recognition of the critical role civil society organizations play in addressing the urgent challenges of climate change in Africa. This commitment is further demonstrated by the provision of direct financial support through grants. The ACCF’s thematic focus on climate change suggests that African NGOs working in this specific sector may have a more readily available and targeted source of funding through the AfDB. However, this also implies that NGOs working in other crucial development areas may need to explore different funding opportunities.
- Rationale: This informative press release highlights the proactive measures taken by the AfDB to strengthen the capacity of African CSOs to effectively access financial resources available through the Africa Climate Change Fund. It details a series of training sessions organized by the AfDB to equip CSOs with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the fund’s processes and application platform. This initiative underscores the AfDB’s commitment not only to providing funds, but also to ensuring that CSOs have the capacity to successfully apply for and manage these resources.
- Analysis: The AfDB’s need to organize capacity-building sessions to enable CSOs to access the ACCF suggests that application processes for such international funds can be complex and require specialized knowledge and skills that not all NGOs necessarily possess. This highlights the importance of both the availability of funding and the ability of NGOs to effectively leverage these resources.
Ressource : “African Development Bank Engages Civil Society Organizations Across Africa to Advance Development Outcomes”
- Rationale: This resource provides an overview of the AfDB’s broader strategic engagement with civil society organizations across the African continent, highlighting their collaborative efforts to achieve shared development results. Notably, it mentions the existence of the “African Development Bank Civil Society Engagement Action Plan 2024-2028,” signaling a structured, long-term commitment by the AfDB to collaborate with CSOs. This action plan likely outlines various areas of collaboration, including potential avenues for financial and other support.
- Analysis: The development and implementation of a multi-year action plan specifically focused on engagement with civil society indicates a significant institutional commitment by the AfDB to recognize and leverage the contributions of CSOs in its development agenda. This suggests that engagement and potential support for CSOs are likely to be integrated into various AfDB initiatives and programs in the coming years.
