Adama City, Ethiopia — April 2025
As the impacts of climate change intensify across the Horn of Africa, Ethiopia is stepping up its commitment to climate resilience by strengthening its capacity to access and utilize climate finance. In a crucial step toward this goal, the African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES), in collaboration with the Government of Ethiopia, is organizing a high-level Working Session from April 17–19, 2025 in Adama City.
This three-day session is designed to empower Ethiopia’s National Expert Team with the technical know-how to develop bankable project proposals that can attract international climate financing. The initiative is part of AGNES’s broader NDC Delivery Lab platform, which supports African countries in translating their climate policies into investment-ready projects.
Why This Matters
Ethiopia, despite being one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies, remains deeply vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change. From erratic rainfall and recurring droughts to flash floods, the environmental pressures are significant and growing. Mobilizing climate finance is not just necessary—it’s urgent.
However, accessing this finance remains a persistent challenge across the continent. African countries often face technical and institutional hurdles that hinder the development of competitive funding proposals. This workshop aims to bridge that gap by equipping Ethiopian experts with the tools and frameworks needed to build strong, fundable climate adaptation and mitigation projects.
Workshop Objectives
The main goals of the working session include:
- Enhancing the capacity of national experts to design innovative, bankable project proposals.
- Developing a portfolio of viable climate adaptation projects that can unlock international funding.
- Laying the groundwork for a pipeline of investment-ready climate projects tailored to Ethiopia’s priorities.
Who Will Attend?
The session brings together a multidisciplinary group of policymakers and technical experts from:
- Ministry of Agriculture
- Ministry of Planning and Development
- Ministry of Women and Social Affairs
- Ministry of Water and Energy
- Agricultural Transformation Institute
- Ethiopian Biodiversity Institute
- Environmental Protection Authority (EPA)
This diverse team ensures a holistic approach to climate project development, one that reflects Ethiopia’s cross-sectoral climate strategy.
A Hands-On Approach
The workshop will feature interactive sessions on:
- Developing climate rationale using tools like the Adaptation Atlas
- Crafting robust Theories of Change and Logical Frameworks
- Designing realistic and funder-aligned project budgets
- Presenting and refining working draft proposals
By the end of the session, the team is expected to produce a set of draft project concepts ready for further development and submission to funding facilities.
Looking Ahead
This working session marks a significant step in Ethiopia’s journey toward climate resilience and sustainable development. By building a strong foundation of expertise, the country is better positioned to tap into the billions of dollars available through international climate finance mechanisms.
AGNES and its partners are confident that this initiative will not only support Ethiopia in achieving its climate goals but also serve as a model for similar capacity-building efforts across Africa.