The AfDB-managed Africa Climate Change Fund (ACCF) has approved over $800,000 in funding to support Mali with preparatory funding to advance its low-carbon, climate resilient development agenda, and to strengthen data and information on climate change vulnerabilities and opportunities for 54 African countries.

A grant of $404,000 from the ACCF will support the government of Mali to develop strategic programmes for a climate resilient and green economy in two key sectors, to elaborate a strategy for financing its transition to green and climate resilient growth, and to attract private sector investment in this transition.

It will furthermore strengthen the capacity of the Malian Agency for Environment and Sustainable Development (AEDD), the executing agency for the project, in the management of climate finance.

The project is aligned with the Malian Government’s vision to create a green and climate resilient economy, reaffirmed by President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita in 2014 in a communiqué of the Council of Ministers.

The ACCF grant is expected to be complemented by support from other funders including the Green Climate Fund’s readiness programme in order to advance a coordinated, programmatic approach to preparing the ground to achieve its ambitious goals.

Aboubacar Diabate, Director of the Malian AEDD, said: "Our sincere thanks to the AfDB for the confidence in Mali through our agency. We are proud to be the first country chosen to receive funds from the Africa Climate Change Fund and are committed to honour the terms of the agreement.”

“These grants will support essential activities and lay the foundation for the promotion of a green and climate-resilient economy. It will strengthen the existing strategic partnership with the AfDB, as well as improve the mobilization of climate finance on a large scale," he said.

A second grant of $420,000, to be executed by the AfDB (African Development Bank), will enable up-to-date information on climate change vulnerabilities, greenhouse gas emissions, and opportunities for climate change adaptation and mitigation to be produced for 54 African countries, tailored to the specific information needs of each country.

It will further develop a global platform for sharing and updating the information in the profiles, and provide training for staff of economic and planning departments in African countries to understand and apply the data.

The project will equip African countries with strengthened data and capacity to strategically plan for long-term climate change interventions and to access international climate finance.

Both projects are aligned with the Bank’s Strategy 2013-2022 which focuses on the twin objectives of inclusive and green growth across the continent, as well as with its Climate Change Action Plan 2011-2015.

Alex Rugamba, Director of the Bank’s Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Change, said: “The approval of the first two projects marks a significant milestone for the ACCF, which is an important instrument in helping African countries to access climate finance to enable a transition to climate-resilient, low carbon development.”