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The United Kingdom (UK) has announced nearly US$10 million in additional funding to the African Development Bank’s (AfDB) programme assisting countries on the continent to strengthen resilience towards climate shocks.
The funding would be done through UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The announcement comes after officials from the UK and the AfDB met on the sidelines of the COP28 United Nations (UN) climate summit in Dubai, according to a statement issued on Friday.
The financial commitment of £7.4 million (US$9.63 million) for the Multi-Donor Trust Fund of the Africa Disaster Risk Financing (ADRiFi) programme would bolster sovereign drought insurance protection, with a particular focus on Somalia, over the next three years.
ADRiFi helps African countries build capacity to respond to climate change-related weather extremes such as cyclones, flooding and drought.
“Somalia faces one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world, with the devastating effects of climate change hitting the most vulnerable the hardest.
“Extreme weather can be catastrophic – and it’s vital that Somalian communities are protected and prepared,” UK Minister of State for International Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, said.
Contributions from the United Kingdom, Switzerland, the United States, Canada, and most recently Norway through the ADRiFi Multi-Donor Trust Fund have subsidized participating countries’ insurance premium payments, in addition to Bank resources mobilized through the African Development Fund and its Transition Support Facility.
“The Bank is thrilled to expand our cooperation with the Government of the UK to provide solutions to Africa’s climate change challenges, as well as to meet the Bank’s priority to improve the quality of life for the people of Africa,” said Beth Dunford, the Bank’s Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development.
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