BY LAWAL GANIU ADEWALE/News Editor
The African continent will have three representatives on the yet-to-be-formed board to manage the Loss and Damage Fund.
The fund, critical in financing climate-related losses in developing countries, has received over $700 million in commitment funding.
The majority of the nine board members will come from developed countries who are expected to be the biggest contributors to the fund.
Speaking at the COP28 conference in Dubai, Chair of Africa Group of Negotiators, Ephraim Shitima, noted that the negotiations are still in the technical phase, adding that they have been negotiating on the technical format.
“Today, the two subsidiary bodies one on implementation and the other on science and technology will be closing. As we close, we hope things will pick up steam and hope that we will be reporting on recommendations and draft decisions which will have been achieved,” he said.
The Executive Director of Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), Mithika Mwenda, weighed in on the conversation saying, that civil society has been vocal against the World Bank hosting the Loss and Damage Fund.
He said: “We have been convinced that the fund will not follow the World Bank rules, it will have its own governance, the board where Africa will have three representatives on the board and that softens our hearts.
“The Glasgow work programme is ending, therefore, we cannot leave the conference without some decision on global goal for adaptation with targets. We hope state countries will ensure contentious issues are resolved.”
The Glasgow work programme on Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) was approved at COP26. The framework was meant to guide national work on ACE.
It contained four priority areas: Policy Coherence, Coordinated Action, Tools and Support, Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting.
