Countries cooperating to support unified action for climate change is an image to behold. To build on the momentum of the Paris Climate Agreement, countries in the Eastern Africa region (Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania and Burundi) have formed an Alliance to promote a common vision to foster carbon markets and climate finance in the region. Specifically, the Alliance aims to enhance the long-term position of Eastern African countries to participate in international carbon markets and increase the region’s capacities to access climate finance for implementation of their National Determined Contributions (NDCs).

Supported by the GIZ Global Carbon Market Project in East Africa on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) in cooperation with the UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Center Kampala, the Alliance was officially launched on 21 June 2019 on the margins of the 50th session of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies meeting in Bonn.

The Alliance follows a country-driven collaborative approach to build technical and institutional capacities, which requires robust coordination and guidance. For this reason, the Alliance has appointed a regional coordinator, whose main responsibilities will be to coordinate the implementation of the alliance work plan and overall management of the related activities, representing the alliance at relevant climate fora, and reporting to partners.

The new coordinator, Ms.Bianca Gichangi, was announced at the Negotiators Pre-COP25 Forum for Eastern Africa Countries held 23-25 October 2019 in Dar-es-Salaam, Tanzania, which was held back-to-back with the meeting of the East African Alliance.