ADDIS ABABA – The African Risk Capacity (ARC), an agency of the African Union, and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) have announced a new partnership which will see the two organisations work together to increase insurance coverage against climate risks for African states. The multilateral deal was announced at the African Union’s Annual Summit in Addis Ababa, and commits ARC and ECA to build the capacity of their 33 common Member States by embedding risk management investments into government planning through policy development.

PDF version PARIS—The African Risk Capacity (ARC) on December 13 welcomed a US $5 million contribution from the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) which will help African governments respond to climate-related disasters more quickly, effectively, and sustainably. The contribution will help further ARC’s mission of building the capacity of African governments to manage disaster risks through the implementation of early warning tools, contingency planning, and specialized insurance. ARC

Five years ago, in November 2012, eighteen African governments met in South Africa to take action against the impacts of natural disasters that repeatedly affect the continent, driving countless lives into destitution. Under the umbrella of the African Union, African sovereigns formed a continental institution dedicated to creating more effective, efficient, and equitable solutions to natural disaster risks across the continent.

Every year, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, or COP, gathers the influential thinkers and doers of climate change policy from around the world and across different sectors to discuss, deliberate, and decide on action that must be taken on crucial climate change issues. Since 2014, the African Risk Capacity has attended the COP as an organization at the forefront of climate financing solutions. At COP20, ARC unveiled its plans for its Extreme Climate Facility (XCF).

ABUJA, Nigeria, 8 November 2017 - The African Risk Capacity (ARC) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) are collaborating more closely to build resilience against climate-related disasters in West Africa. As global climate negotiations are underway at the 23^rd United Nations Climate Change Convention in Germany, ARC and ECOWAS are taking a significant step to strengthen their partnership and amplify the impact of their work in disaster risk management, ensuring that the increasing risks of weather-related perils are addressed earlier and m

From an idea first outlined in 2006, to a full-fledged institution – with 32 member states, USD 500 million of drought risk transferred, over USD 30 million in insurance payouts triggered and 2.1 million people reached with payouts since starting operations in 2014 – the African Risk Capacity has certainly come a long way. Dr Joanna Syroka has been there throughout this journey.