Amb. Seyni Nafo's High-Level Presidential Visit to Namibia.

Amb. Seyni Nafo, held productive discussions with Her Excellency President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah of Namibia during a courtesy visit that underscored the urgent need for enhanced climate adaptation action in one of Africa's most climate-vulnerable nations.

During the meeting at State House, President Nandi-Ndaitwah welcomed Ambassador Nafo, who also serves as Co-Chair of the Green Climate Fund Board, and reaffirmed Namibia's unwavering commitment to the Rio Conventions established at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. The President emphasized the importance of a united global approach to healing humanity's relationship with nature, while highlighting the particular challenges faced by dry and climate-vulnerable countries like Namibia.

Both leaders acknowledged the climate paradox facing Namibia and similar African nations – contributing minimally to global carbon emissions while bearing disproportionately harsh consequences of climate change. This reality underscores the critical importance of AAI's mission to strengthen adaptation capacity and resilience across the continent.

Amb. Nafo commended the Namibian Government's proactive approach to climate adaptation, particularly praising the work of the Environmental Investment Fund (EIF) in financing projects that promote environmental conservation, sustainable land management, and resilience-building across the country. These initiatives align closely with AAI's strategic objectives of enhancing on-the-ground adaptation action and mobilizing climate finance for Africa's urgent priorities.

The visit reflects AAI's continued engagement with African member states to accelerate adaptation implementation and address the continent's adaptation financing gap. As Namibia continues to experience intensifying droughts, water scarcity, and other climate impacts, the partnership between the country and AAI becomes increasingly vital for building resilience and safeguarding livelihoods.

This high-level engagement reinforces AAI's commitment to supporting African countries in translating their National Adaptation Plans and Nationally Determined Contributions into concrete, fundable projects. With time being of the essence, as both leaders acknowledged, such partnerships are essential for achieving AAI's ambitious goal of mobilizing increased adaptation finance and implementing regional flagship programmes across Africa.

The visit to Namibia represents another milestone in AAI's ongoing efforts to ensure that Africa's most climate-vulnerable nations receive the support they need to adapt to climate change impacts while pursuing sustainable development pathways. Through continued collaboration with committed partners like Namibia, AAI remains steadfast in its mission to enhance climate resilience across the continent.

Images courtesy of the Namibian Presidency.