ECDPM 🌍

📅 Nov 16, 10:30 CET @ COP29 Azerbaijan | 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮’𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 COP29 offers a pivotal moment to unite global leaders, policymakers, and key stakeholders in advancing climate-resilient strategies for Africa's diverse food systems. This high-level summit will spotlight the synergy between climate action and sustainable food practices, focusing on resilient agriculture, innovative financing, trade reforms, and infrastructure improvements. For more information and livestreaming 👉 https://bit.ly/4ejIeAT 🤝 How can international collaboration address the policy and investment gaps in the climate-food systems nexus in Africa? 🌾 What policy measures can be deployed to reduce exposure of African farmers to short-term risks, while also strengthening their longer-term resilience in the face of shocks and stresses? 🏦 How can financial institutions and development agencies better support integrated climate and food systems investment pipelines? Moderated by Cecilia D'Alessandro, ECDPM With - H.E. Nardos Bekele-Thomas, AUDA NEPAD - H.E. Amb. Stefano Gatti, MFA, Italy - Estherine Fotabong Fotabong, AUDA-NEPAD - Dr Brian Isabirye, Commissioner, Ugandan Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development - Odhengo Peter, Ministry of Finance, Kenya and African Green Climate Finances National, Designated Authorities Network (AfDAN) - Babafemi O. OYEWOLE, PhD, MBA., Pan-African Farmers Organization (PAFO) - Oluranti Doherty, African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) - Aysha AlMuhairi, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, United Arab Emirates - Patrick Verkooijen, Global Center on Adaptation

🎬 Jozef Sikela was confirmed as EU Commissioner for International Partnerships after a 3 hour hearing yesterday. Here are the highlights in 5 minutes. As commissioner, Síkela oversees Europe's Global Gateway initiative and its €300 billion budget, which he receives in urgent need of reform to maximise impact for Europe and its partners. Noticeably under fire from questioning MEPs for his far greater familiarity with trade, finance and materials than human rights, democracy and development more generally - echoing worries we have written about here 👉 https://bit.ly/4ef3doA - Síkela nevertheless promised e.g. greater attention to the needs of fragile regions, as well as 13% of development funding ring-fenced for education. Likewise, the thread of geopolitical competition with China and Russia, in particular, is evident. We've written about the limits of this approach and the potential for coexistence of different offers based on relative strengths and the needs of partner countries here 👉 https://bit.ly/4gjqb03 His 6 steps to improving the Global Gateway: 💰 Private-public partnerships 🤝 More flexibility and greater engagement with multilateral fora 🚶♂️➡️ Tackling root causes of irregular migration 🕊️ Greater focus on conflict prevention and good governance 🌍 Mutually agreed cooperation with Africa, Latin America and beyond 🇪🇺 Consistency with development objectives

📬 The weekly compass is in your inbox! Read the abridged version here, or subscribe to the full newsletter 👉 https://bit.ly/3CLjWQU This week: 🇪🇺 The new EU international cooperation commissioner 🤝 Relieving the Global South debt burden 🌱 Promoting resilience in African food systems ✊ The climate change > violence pipeline 📅 Events and more!

📝 Achieving sustainable development goals requires an annual finance increase of $4.2 trillion, but with escalating debts and depreciating currencies, low- and middle-income countries find themselves in a deteriorating position. Local currency financing and risk hedging are options to stabilise this debt and move towards (rather than increasingly away from) an end to poverty and hunger. But despite initial enthusiasm, they remain underutilised. Read the full brief 👉 https://bit.ly/4ef3doA Karim Karaki analyses European development efforts to enhance local currency lending and risk hedging: calling for a strategic approach that aligns with the EU’s development, economic and geostrategic interests. The EU should view local currency financing as a strategic opportunity to strengthen its relationship with countries in the Global South and foster mutually beneficial partnerships, but needs to clearly define its strategic priorities and support European financial institutions for development in adopting a range of solutions that promote collaboration, scale up successful models and align efforts to achieve the EU’s geostrategic goals.

🇺🇸 With Donald Trump victorious, the US election outcome has serious implications for the rest of the world. Our expert Andrew Sherriff outlines the consequences for Europe, Europe-Africa relations and multilateralism. 🇪🇺 The immediate effects will be greater for Europe than Africa, but quickly followed by knock-on effects via Europe's shifting political and financial focus 🌍 Accelerating the trend, a greater relative importance is likely to be given to raw materials access and bilateral trade deals than democracy, civil society and human rights 🤝 With America First, Europe may be tempted to seek closer relationships with the Global South, though this may be tempered by the fear of antagonising the US As EU Commissioner hearings continue (at time of writing, the commissioner-designate for International Partnerships is still facing questions), the US election may prompt an updated European strategy. Read our series To the New Leaders of Europe here 👉 https://bit.ly/3UnYskI

🎬 The Emergency Trust Fund for Africa is the key policy the EU has on addressing the root causes of migration, but there's not yet any quantitative evidence of its efficacy or effects. DYNAMIG is conducting in-depth research on changes in migrant aspirations after the policy was implemented. Tobias Heidland is the scientific coordinator for the project, and a member of the DYNAMIG research and management teams. He is an economics professor at Kiel University and heads the International Development Research Center at the Kiel Institute for the World Economy. How can DYNAMIG contribute to better migration policies? 👉 https://lnkd.in/e46f3J-s ECDPM 🌍, Elizade University, University of Luxembourg, AMADPOC, European University Institute, UM6P - University Mohammed VI Polytechnic, Middlesex University

📝 Green energy and industrialisation are creating significant tensions in Africa-Europe relations. Africa’s hopes to leapfrog from low to high productive activities as Europe seeks to strengthen its industry and de-risk from China. Working towards a shared vision of green growth and development across Europe and Africa requires better understanding the tradeoffs and tensions underpinning green industrial policies: building a shared agenda to maximise mutual benefits. Read the full brief 👉 https://bit.ly/48C44yf ECDPM's Alfonso Medinilla with Damien Barchiche, Catherine. W. Kilelu, Sébastien Treyer and Chukwumerije Okereke offer a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and opportunities in fostering a just green transition through Africa-Europe collaboration. The publication builds on the multi stakeholder discussions held in our Nairobi event in May 2024. IDDRI, European Think Tanks Group ETTG

📝 Italy’s G7 presidency has set ambitious commitments to transforming sustainable food systems in Africa, but the path from ambition to results remains uncertain. Read the full commentary 👉  https://bit.ly/4hwVuVA This renewed focus on food systems and food security in Africa is timely, especially as the region faces the combined pressures of climate change, economic instability, and persistent hunger. Yet, while the words of the communiqué are encouraging, success depends on delivering concrete actions, aligning with African priorities, ensuring inclusivity and overcoming significant financing and policy hurdles. ✍️ Cecilia D'Alessandro for Devex

🎬 We've collected highlights from EU Commissioner-designate Maroš Šefčovič's 3+ hour hearing yesterday, our closest glimpse yet of the EU's upcoming approach to trade and transparency. 🇪🇺 Emphasising EU unity and the importance of free trade 🤝 Three priorities for trade: EU competitiveness, responding to unfair practices, and defending and deepening alliances 🇨🇳 Defining EU position towards the US and China vsv trade 🌍 Seeking closer ties with India, the Indo-pacific region, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Africa Included are suggestions of WTO reform, external industrialisation and larger direct support for partners, as well as a response to DEVE chair Barry Andrews MEP's question regarding previous less-than-wildly successful EU trade relation attempts in Africa: "We just have to see that we are in a world of battle of offers. What we want to propose is that we are going to work with you. We are going to create value added in your country will be using the highest environmental, sustainable human rights standards. And we are going to increase the GDP economic performance of your country. And we just want to share with you that the the the final product." Whether rhetoric is supported by reality, we will have to see. In the meantime, we've written extensively about the EU's need to adapt the Global Gateway strategy to better match partner interests with EU strengths, rather than directly competing with China 👉 https://bit.ly/4gjqb03 Jozef Sikela, Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships, faces his hearing tomorrow. Here's what to look out for 👉 https://bit.ly/3UzFecJ

📣 The Africa-Europe adaptation partnership faces significant challenges. Frustration grows in Africa over a widening funding gap. Europe, the largest funder, appears increasingly fatigued by Africa's criticism. Read the full commentary 👉 https://bit.ly/3ArEGi7 Originally published by IAI - Istituto Affari Internazionali, Hanne Louise Knaepen explores ways to strengthen collaborative adaptation efforts, focusing on the role of the EU in the context of rising geopolitical tensions and shifting political priorities. With COP29 on the horizon, overcoming barriers to adaptation cooperation is critical to building a more balanced and effective Africa-Europe partnership.