Rwanda to host the 2016 Africa Carbon Forum
Rwanda has been selected to host the 8th Africa Carbon Forum, a continental meeting organised by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB), Africa Low Emission Development Partnership and the International Emissions Trading Association (IETA).
The meeting will convene in Kigali from 28 to 30 June 2016 and will bring together over 600 climate change experts, carbon market players, policymakers and project developers from across Africa.
The conference will discuss innovative projects, programmes and investment opportunities for low carbon and climate resilient development in Africa, such as the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative and Africa Initiative on Adaptation, Loss and Damage. The gathering will also discuss the sources of climate finance and how to access them, among other climate change related topics.
Rwanda was chosen to host the conference because of its efforts in environment protection and climate change mitigation as well as experience in hosting major international events.
Yesterday, 23 March 2016, the Government of Rwanda, represented by the Deputy Director General of Rwanda Environment Management Authority, Eng. Coletha Ruhamya, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the representative of the UNFCCC Secretariat James Grabert regarding the hosting of the meeting. The agreement sets out terms and conditions agreed between the UNFCCC Secretariat and the Government of Rwanda with respect to the hosting of the 8th Africa Carbon Forum.
Speaking yesterday, James Grabert, Coordinator of Sustainable Development Mechanism Programme in the UNFCCC Secretariat, said, “The UNFCCC Secretariat thanks Rwanda for accepting to host the 2016 Africa Carbon Forum. We have a lot of expectations from this meeting.”
During the signing of the agreement, Eng. Coletha Ruhamya said, “It’s a privilege for Rwanda to host this important meeting. It is a chance to share our experience in low carbon development with the continent and we will do our best to make it very successful.”
After signing, the UNFCCC Secretariat representative, James Grabert, also made a courtesy call to the Minister of Natural Resources, Dr Vincent Biruta, to discuss what organisers are expecting from Rwanda as the country mobilises local and international stakeholders to participate in the 2016 Africa Carbon Forum.
Hosting the 2016 Africa Carbon Forum will be an opportunity for Rwanda to share with other African countries and the rest of world its initiatives aimed at reducing carbon emissions including vehicle emissions control. It will also be an occasion to share the work of the National Fund for the Environment and Climate Change (FONERWA), which is the first of its kind in Africa and through which climate change mitigation projects are financed.
Held every year since 2008, the Africa Carbon Forum is an occasion for carbon market players, African policymakers, investors and project developers to share the latest knowledge and opportunities for collaboration on regional and global climate change initiatives.
Photos and more:
- See photos from the signing ceremony here.
- For interviews or other enquiries, please contact Clarisse Kawera, Communications and Public Relations Officer, REMA, on +250 788 273 000 or at [email protected]