Kenya, Four Neighbours Targeted in UNESCO $30m Climate Resilience Plan

NAIROBI, Kenya Oct 23 – UNESCO is preparing a $30 million (about Sh3.87 billion) regional climate-resilience project targeting Kenya and four other East African countries. The initiative aims to protect shared ecosystems, strengthen early-warning systems and help communities cope with the growing effects of climate change.

The four-year programme will cover Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. South Sudan has expressed interest in joining, according to Louise Haxthausen, director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa.

Speaking on Thursday at the 24th Ordinary Meeting of the Sectoral Council on the Lake Victoria Basin in Kisumu, Haxthausen said the project would be developed in partnership with the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) and participating governments.

“Environmental challenges do not recognise national boundaries. Shared ecosystems, river basins, forests, lakes and landscapes require collective stewardship and coordinated action,” she said.

The programme, titled Transboundary Ecosystem-Based Climate Resilience and Disaster Risk Reduction in Eastern Africa Countries, is expected to be submitted to the Adaptation Fund for consideration after participating countries refine and validate the proposal.

Haxthausen said the initiative would focus on four interconnected areas: improving climate information systems, restoring degraded ecosystems, strengthening regional governance, and enhancing monitoring and knowledge-sharing.

The first component will support integrated climate-resilience information systems, strengthen multi-hazard early-warning systems and improve the delivery of climate information to communities at risk.

The second will promote ecosystem restoration and nature-based solutions to reduce disaster risks, including flood-management measures and climate-resilient planning.

“The resilience of one country is increasingly linked to the resilience of its neighbours,” Haxthausen said, emphasising the need for coordinated action among countries sharing the Lake Victoria Basin.The project will also seek to strengthen policies, institutions and cross-border governance frameworks for climate adaptation and disaster-risk reduction.

One proposed initiative is to explore designating the Lake Victoria Basin as a UNESCO Transboundary Biosphere Reserve. The designation could help promote biodiversity conservation while supporting sustainable economic activities.

Haxthausen said UNESCO was also interested in working with the commission and regional governments to develop sustainable tourism by linking the conservation of natural and cultural heritage with local economic opportunities.

“Through our support for designated sites, we have gained significant experience and expertise in how to balance tourism development with the preservation of cultural and natural heritage,” she said.The fourth component will focus on monitoring, evaluation, learning and knowledge management to ensure accountability and the long-term sustainability of the interventions.

LVBC Executive Secretary Dr Masinde Bwire and other regional representatives attended the meeting, which brought together leaders and officials working on the management of shared resources in the Lake Victoria Basin.

The commission is expected to work with participating governments to refine the proposal, incorporate South Sudan’s interest and identify opportunities to align the programme with existing regional initiatives.

Haxthausen said UNESCO had renewed its accreditation with the Adaptation Fund and would serve as the implementing agency, while the commission and participating member states would be responsible for execution.

“We are ready to move forward now,” she said, calling for a collaborative process to finalise the proposal and secure the necessary approvals.

The initiative comes as East African countries face mounting pressure from climate-related hazards, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss and growing demand for natural resources.

If approved and implemented, the programme could strengthen regional preparedness for climate disasters while supporting the ecosystems that sustain millions of people across the Lake Victoria Basin and neighbouring countries