Africa has the lowest productivity per capita in the world. Investing in key inputs for smallholder farms, including access to energy, has significant potential to transform the sector’s productivity. Promoting agricultural production is widely regarded as one of the most effective ways to drive inclusive growth and reduce poverty. What's at stake for Africa at COP27?
The 27th UN Climate Change Conference of Parties takes place in Egypt from 7 to 18 November 2022. Amid unmet commitments, lingering disruptions due to COVID-19, and the finance, energy and food challenges due to the war in Ukraine, the Chair of the African Group of Negotiators on climate change, Mr. Ephraim Mwepya Shitima of Zambia, talks about Africa’s priorities.
The United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA) hosts the month-long Africa Dialogue Series annually. The 2022 edition brings African voices to the global stage at the UN Headquarters in New York. In this interview, Ms. Cristina Duarte, the UN Special Adviser on Africa, explains why these activities are important.
The Africa Dialogue Series is the annual flagship advocacy product of the UN Office of the Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA). It's a platform to discuss and debate challenges and opportunities for Africa. In line with the African Union’s theme, the ADS theme is: “Build resilience in nutrition: Accelerate Africa's human capital and socio-economic development.”
The question for many African countries is not how to reduce their carbon footprint as the continent’s overall contribution to GHG emissions is low at less than 4 per cent. Instead, they are looking innovations to sustainably harness Africa’s resources to meet energy demands for economic development while following a sustainable path to a net-zero future.
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a potential game-changer for promoting Africa’s inclusive growth and sustainable development. Some of its benefits are already being realized, although more still needs to be done to harness its full potential. A year after its operationalization, OSAA and the AfCFTA Secretariat look at its progress, challenges and state of implementation.
