University of Nairobi and GCA sign Partnership Agreement to Scale up Investments in Climate Resilient Infrastructure in Kenya and East Africa
N airobi, Kenya, 7th July 2022 – The University of Nairobi (UoN) and the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) signed a partnership agreement to scale up adaptation for climate resilient infrastructure and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in Kenya and across East Africa.
GCA CEO Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen and University of Nairobi Chancellor Prof. Stephen Kiama sign the Memorandum of Agreement in the presence of President Uhuru Kenyatta and Cabinet Secretary for the Ministry of Environment and Forestry Keriako Tobiko
This landmark partnership, supported with a financial contribution of €1,200,000 by GCA under the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), aims to develop a robust pipeline of investments for resilient infrastructure in Kenya, unlock climate finance, create green adaptation jobs, and to support Kenyan entrepreneurs scale up business solutions for climate resilient infrastructure in Kenya.
The partnership was announced during the Leaders Dialogue on Adaptation Action in Africa, held today in Nairobi, when CEO of GCA Professor Dr. Patrick Verkooijen welcomed President Uhuru Kenyatta as the Global Champion for the AAAP.
“Today, GCA is launching a strategic AAAP partnership with the University of Nairobi that will support the Government of Kenya, multilateral and international organizations, the private sector, and, most importantly, students, to shape and lead the generation of research, knowledge, and solutions to help address the risks of climate change, not just in Kenya but across Africa,” said Prof. Verkooijen at the ceremony.
The collaboration will create a platform led by GCA and the University of Nairobi to contribute to a broader network of African centers of excellence and knowledge partners globally, including the Cheikh Anta Diop University in Senegal and the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, to exchange knowledge and lead the way forward in the adaptation agenda.
“As the continent prepares to host the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP27, in Egypt, in November this year, it is critical that we as a continent, and as a leading university, rally behind you [President Kenyatta]…because for the first time in history, a COP event will be held on African soil and the spotlight will highlight the African issues and agenda. Ladies and gentlemen, let us support our Climate Adaptation Champion, H.E. President Uhuru Kenyatta, as he delivers on his role as a Global Champion of the African Adaptation Acceleration Program,” said the Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, Professor Stephen Kiama.
The AAAP is an Africa-own and Africa-led initiative launched by GCA and the African Development Bank, with the support of the African Union and African leaders. The AAAP is mobilizing $25 billion for climate adaptation investments in Africa in the next five years for a faster and stronger post COVID-19 economic recovery based on climate-resilient development pathways. In its first year of operation, the AAAP’s Upstream Financing Facility has influenced more than $3 billion of downstream investments with Multilateral Development Banks in 19 countries across Africa.
About the University of Nairobi
The University of Nairobi (UoN) is a pioneer institution of university education in Kenya and the region. The Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation at the University of Nairobi was established to provide policy advice on climate change and adaptation, conduct climate change and adaptation research and knowledge exchange, and offer professional short courses for various climate change and adaptation actors and stakeholders in the public and private sectors including Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).
About the Global Center on Adaptation
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization that works as a solutions broker to accelerate action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector, to ensure we learn from each other and work together for a climate resilient future. Founded in 2018, GCA is hosted by the Netherlands, working from its headquarters in the world’s largest floating office, located in Rotterdam, with a knowledge and research hub based in Groningen. GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Ivory Coast; Dhaka, Bangladesh and Beijing, China. Through this evolving network of offices and global and regional GCA teams, the organization engages in high-level policy activities, new research contributions, communications, and technical assistance to governments and the private sector.
