The UK Minister for Development and Africa, Andrew Mitchell, on Monday, September 4, announced new projects worth £49m (Rwf74 billion) for Africa. According to a UK government statement, the funding was unveiled during Mitchell’s visit to Kenya for the September 4-6 inaugural Africa Climate Summit co-hosted by the African Union Commission and Kenya. ALSO READ: UK commends Rwanda's efforts to tackle climate change Mitchell said: “Our partnerships with African countries on green investment and climate resilience are growing economies and improving lives. But more action has to be taken, as those least responsible for climate change are increasingly bearing the brunt of its effects. ALSO READ: Seven things to expect from Africa Climate Summit “The UK is working closely with African partners to fight climate change, boost resilience and help those whose lives are most impacted.” The funding will help create jobs, grow economies, and improve the lives of women, farmers, and at-risk communities. ALSO READ: Rwanda awaits solid commitments on emission cuts at Climate Summit The funding announced during the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi includes £34 million for new projects across 15 African countries to help women, at-risk communities, and more than 400,000 farmers build resilience against the effects of climate change, under the established Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CLARE), and Weather and Climate Information Services (WISER) programmes. Early warning systems, such as text alerts, radio, and social networks, will help hard-to-reach communities take action before extreme climate events occur. As noted, these projects will also improve water security for more than 1.5 million people. Seven new climate finance projects will also be launched at the Summit. Investments worth £15 million from UK-backed FSD Africa Investments will mobilise capital from private sources, allowing small-scale businesses to access finance, create innovative products and deliver inclusive tech solutions such as turning desert into land for farming. Together, these projects will improve access to basic services including renewable energy and healthcare for over 500,000 people, generate 3,400 jobs, and provide cheaper and reliable power to households. While in Nairobi, the UK Minister reaffirmed his government’s commitment to providing £11.6 billion international climate finance over five years, and will call for rapid reform of the international financial system to unlock trillions of dollars to combat climate change. Mitchell was also expected to announce details of the third successive Climate and Development Ministerial, hosted by the COP28 UAE Presidency and the UK ahead of COP28, with Malawi and Vanuatu as co-chairs.
