The Africa multi-country Readiness initiative seeks to address the limited capacity that African countries have to access climate finance, as a result of insufficient technical expertise, and insufficient strategic frameworks for investment in climate-resilient projects in the water sector.
The Programme is funded by the Green Climate Fund.
Accessing climate finance for resilient water in Africa is critical to achieving the African Union Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022-2032). Supporting the implementation of this strategy is the continental Africa Water Investment Programme (AIP), adopted by the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government as part of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa – Priority Action Plan 2 (PIDA-PAP 2) to address the growing need for investment in water.
The AIP comprises 5 pillars that aim to contribute towards narrowing the investment gap in water across Africa:
- Mobilise high-level political commitment and leadership on water investments;
- Develop and implement the AIP-PIDA Water Investment Scorecard to enhance mutual accountability, transparency and efficiency of water finance and investments;
- Develop capacity to formulate regional and national water investment programmes to close the water investment gap;
- Assess the need for the AIP International Blended Investment Mechanism to leverage public-private finance;
- Promote gender equality and empowerment of women and girls in water investments.
The funding acquired should help to support the following 15 countries until the end of 2025.