SPECIAL FEATURE
In an interview with the OPEC Fund, Fatima Denton , Director of the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA) in Ghana, gives concrete examples of African leadership, while stressing the need to scale-up efforts by including grassroots
AND THE OPEC FUND
Tanzania THIRD TANZANIA POVERTY REDUCTION PROJECT Approved: December 2013 Completed: September 2019 Total project cost: US$18.2 million OPEC Fund financing: US$13.5 million
“A frica is the only continent that has a regional body that is solely looking at aspects of climate change: the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC). “The committee meets regularly and is a very good example of leadership, but it could be more pro-active and coordinated on the global stage. Take green minerals, for example. To scale-up renewable energy, we know we’ll need more copper and cobalt, so Africa should have a joint strategy, talk with one voice, and negotiate as a bloc. “Turning to grassroots level, there are many climate-smart, high-potential initiatives across the continent. My organization, UNU-INRA, has been looking at the informal sector because in some African countries 80 percent of jobs are in the informal sector. We think it’s far too important to be left out of the international climate equation, so we’ve set up a digital platform – the Just Energy Transition in the Informal Sector (JUSTIS) – to help informal groups bring green
goods from production to delivery to commercialization. It aims to bring together all major stakeholders: from entrepreneurs to investors to government officials to potential consumers. “Another problem is making sure our global goals align. At UNU-INRA we’ve been working with the government of Ghana to square the circle of food security and climate action, specifically in terms of rice cultivation, which produces large amounts of nitrous oxide and methane. The latter is over 20 times more potent than CO 2 in terms of global warming, so this is clearly a major issue at scale. Long story short: African farmers need more help and incentives to adopt management practices that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. “My role is to highlight and clarify all these challenges, help researchers find innovative solutions and make sure decision-makers have access to the latest data and best analysis feeding into their climate and development policies.”
The loan was the latest in a series of OPEC Fund contributions to support the government’s fight against poverty. It included extensive construction in school buildings, dormitories and offices, rehabilitation of outpatient treatment buildings, work in the water sector, rehabilitation or repair of roads, irrigation of canal and environmental protection subprojects. By 2020, the implemented subprojects were estimated to have already contributed to improving the lives of 200,000 direct and 1.3 million indirect project beneficiaries. TESTIMONIALS “Our goal is to involve beneficiaries in productive activities and equip them with skills and knowledge how to engage in income generating activities.” Alvera Ndabagoye, Executive Director of the Arusha District "I have children to take care of at home and without the program I would not have managed to feed them and provide all the basic needs. My earnings helped me to construct a house, pay school fees and buy a
FATIMA DENTON Fatima Denton is the Director of the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA). Prior to joining UNU- INRA, Denton worked with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Ethiopia since 2012. Her roles included Director of the Natural Resource Management Division and Coordinator of the African Climate Policy Centre.
balanced diet for my family.” Sophia Sarakikya, a beneficiary
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