The East African Community (EAC) Partner States are urging developed countries to provide more predictable, accessible, and grant-based climate finance to help the region respond to growing climate-related losses. This call comes ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, next month. The EAC wants developed countries to meet their public climate finance commitments, triple adaptation finance by 2035, and improve direct access to climate funds.
The demands are part of a common regional position validated during a five-day meeting in Machakos, Kenya, which also endorsed the EAC Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2036. The meeting, held from September 29 to October 3, brought together representatives from EAC Partner States, the EAC Secretariat, the Lake Victoria Basin Commission, and technical experts, with support from the German Government through GIZ.
The EAC is also calling for full capitalization of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage and direct access to its resources by national institutions. The regional bloc wants the fund to support both economic and non-economic losses suffered by communities affected by climate change. Additionally, the EAC is calling for full funding of the Santiago Network, which provides technical assistance to vulnerable countries dealing with loss and damage.
The push for increased climate finance comes amid growing economic losses linked to climate-related disasters across Africa. According to the World Meteorological Organization’s State of the Climate in Africa 2023 report, African countries lose between 2 and 5 percent of their gross domestic product annually to climate extremes. Some countries divert up to 9 percent of their national budgets to disaster response at the expense of long-term development.
Chairing the Machakos meeting, Uganda’s Assistant Commissioner for Production and Infrastructure in the Ministry of East African Community Affairs, William Tayebwa, emphasized the importance of a common regional position in international climate negotiations. He stated that speaking with one voice would strengthen East Africa’s position in mobilizing the resources the region needs.
The EAC also wants to strengthen the ability of Partner States to access climate finance directly, calling for transparent, predictable, and efficient funding procedures and greater support for national institutions seeking climate funds. The regional position further calls for equitable participation in carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, supported by harmonized regional standards for measuring, reporting, and verifying emissions reductions.
The validated COP31 common messages will be shared with the African Group of Negotiators and UNFCCC focal persons from EAC Partner States to inform the wider African position. The EAC Secretariat will also coordinate regional side events and bilateral engagements during COP31. The German Government, through GIZ, pledged continued support to the EAC’s efforts to strengthen regional capacity to respond to climate change.
Key points
- The EAC demands grant-based climate finance to address growing climate-related losses.
- The region wants developed countries to meet their public climate finance commitments and triple adaptation finance by 2035.
- The EAC calls for full capitalization of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage and direct access to its resources by national institutions.
