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The African Activist Climate Justice (AACJ) Project is making significant strides towards promoting climate justice in West Africa. The recent visit by the Head of Programme to Burkina Faso, Senegal, and Nigeria from March 27th to April 13th, 2023, is a clear indication of the commitment to the project’s success. The visit aimed to conduct introductory meetings with the Project Management Unit (PMU) and identify areas of support for the AACJ project.
During the visit, the Head of the PMU, Benson Simba held bilateral meetings with each consortium partner in the three countries, paid courtesy visits to national and subnational government offices and visited locally-led actions. This approach helped to identify areas of support within the AACJ project, encourage better coordination by partners, and enhance project visibility.
The Dutch Ministry has expressed interest in the summaries of all Locally Led Actions (LLAs) in each country to inform their planned donor visit to West Africa around August 2023. This interest is a significant boost for the AACJ project as it shows that the efforts towards climate justice in West Africa are receiving international recognition and support.
Furthermore, Benson Simba advised all partners to refer to the recommendations in the approved baseline report to inform their implementation, given that it was the third year of the project. The update of the risk matrix where necessary was also emphasized. This approach ensures that the project’s objectives remain relevant and sustainable.
The PMU also encouraged the country teams to work together and come up with side activities that they would do as AACJ during COP 28. He promised that the The PMU was ready to support with the accreditation from the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). This collaborative approach promotes synergy among the consortium partners and enhances the visibility of the project during international forums.
The visit also presented an opportunity for the Head of PMU to request the country teams’ support during the upcoming Mid-Term Review. Participation of the partners in assisting the consultants in data collection is key to getting accurate data to inform the report/outcome of the Mid-Term Review. This approach ensures that the project remains on track and achieves its set objectives.
In conclusion, the recent visit by the Head of Programme to West African countries is a significant step towards achieving climate justice in the region. The AACJ project’s success is evident in the bilateral meetings with the consortium partners, courtesy visits to government offices, and visits to locally-led actions. The commitment towards the project’s objectives, international recognition and support, and collaborative approach by the consortium partners, ensures that climate justice in West Africa remains a top priority.
