Africa’s leading development institutions have renewed their commitment to building an African-led, continent-wide early warning system during the ClimDev-Africa Phase II Planning Workshop held in Nairobi. Co-organized by the African Union Commission, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, and the African Development Bank, the gathering brought together policymakers, scientists, and stakeholders to shape the next phase of the Climate for Development in Africa programme. The central goal was to scale up early warning systems to save lives, protect livelihoods, and support climate-resilient development.
Speakers highlighted the importance of African-driven solutions, noting that climate change must be addressed through homegrown expertise. The African Development Bank emphasized its ongoing investment in multi-country early warning systems, while UNECA underscored the programme’s role in mainstreaming climate action into national development planning. Since its launch in 2011, ClimDev-Africa has supported projects across 17 countries, built regional climate centres, trained meteorological experts, and deployed forecasting technologies. These achievements have strengthened regional cooperation, improved data integration, and enhanced Africa’s ability to respond to crises such as desert locust outbreaks.
The workshop reaffirmed ClimDev-Africa’s alignment with the African Union’s 2022–2032 Climate Resilient Development Strategy and Agenda 2063. Phase II aims to raise $191 million to expand infrastructure, capacity, and policy coherence, with support from African and international partners. Regional climate centres, such as ICPAC, AGRHYMET, and SADC Climate Services Centre, play a pivotal role in building a unified early warning architecture. Representatives stressed that African countries must remain the authoritative voice on warnings within their borders, while benefiting from shared regional platforms and data.
Participants also visited ICPAC in Kenya, a centre initially financed under Phase I, which now provides forecasts, disaster risk monitoring, and sector-specific advisories across East Africa. ICPAC’s work demonstrates how scientific investment, regional collaboration, and African ownership can transform preparedness into action. The outcomes of the workshop will feed into Africa’s unified position ahead of major climate summits, reinforcing the message that the continent is taking charge of its climate resilience agenda. Through ClimDev-Africa, African institutions are building solutions that turn climate risks into opportunities for stronger, more resilient communities.
