AEF at the Africa Climate Summit

As an official technical partner of the Africa Climate Summit, the Africa-Europe Foundation’s proposed programme focuses on both public and closed-door strategic dialogues dedicated to areas of cooperation that hold promise for enhanced Africa-Europe cooperation.

4 September, 4:30-6:00pm EAT, KICC, Aberdare Hall (in-person, public)

AEF co-developed this official plenary event to elevate the role of ocean governance and blue economy in the cross-continental partnership, and build joint momentum towards COP28, positioning the sector as a key investment opportunity for climate positive growth. The dialogue will bring together African and European stakeholders to co-define a roadmap for an equitable blue partnership, identifying critical areas of importance to address interconnected climate and biodiversity challenges, while taking into account the needs and know-how of coastal communities. Potential areas of cooperation include aquaculture, renewable energy, decarbonisation of the shipping industry, maritime spatial planning, adaptation and blue carbon.

5 September, 7:00-8:30am EAT, Serena Hotel, Amani room (in-person, invite-only)

This high-level policymaker breakfast on energy is to be co-hosted by AEF and the Africa-Europe Energy Partnership (AEEP), following Chatham House Rules. It is an opportunity to bring high-level actors from Africa and Europe together - from policymakers, private sector and civil society to reflect on the energy partnership, accelerate the implementation of common agendas towards 2030 and 2063, and openly discuss aspirations on topics related to energy access, transition, and shared interests towards green industrialisation. Participants will take stock of commitments made at the 6th EU-AU Summit, as well as recent geopolitical events, and pave the road towards COP28 and AEF’s #AUEUTracker Special Dialogue on Climate and the Just Transition, taking place on 22 November.

5 September, 1:00-1:45pm EAT, KICC, River Nile Room (in-person, public)

The Africa-Europe Earthshot is a multi-stakeholder co-design, co-creation, and co-delivery process that seeks to identify and accelerate pathways to unlock finance and improve the investment climate for Africa’s just transition. By bringing together a diverse community of experts for a series of strategic convenings between April - December 2023, in alignment with global geopolitical opportunities to advance the agenda, the Africa-Europe Earthshot mobilises action on a set of priority opportunity areas to streamline activity rather than duplicate or undermine existing initiatives. In this session, partners will share the vision of an “African Investment Deal for People, Climate and Nature”, a roadmap and investment allocation plan that enables Africa to realise its potential as a green industrialisation hub and carbon sink for the world.

The initiative is being driven by a coalition of core partners, including the Africa-Europe Foundation, Africa Investor Group, Climate Action Platform Africa, Mo Ibrahim Foundation, The B Team and the World Resources Institute Africa.

5 September, 1:30-3:00pm EAT, Sarova Stanley Hotel (hybrid, internal meeting)

AEF will host its third closed-door Working Group meeting on Carbon Markets, co-chaired by Damilola Ogunbiyi and Jos Delbeke, in the sidelines of the Africa Climate Summit. The Working Group aims to unlock untapped cooperation between Africa and Europe at the climatedevelopment nexus. The meeting will continue the discussion on establishing the rules and tools needed to ensure high-value carbon products and end-to-end integrity in the market. This includes shaping work on governance, regulation, jurisdiction, incentive structures and capacity building, as well as supporting the development of national country activation plans. It will also provide an opportunity to outline the preliminary outcomes of the Working Group, notably its Strategic Piece of Research on Carbon Markets, paving the way towards the United Nations Climate Conference, COP28 in the UAE.