Ban Ki-moon Joins Akinwunmi Adesina, Kristalina Georgieva, Other Global Leaders To Launch Global Center On Adaptation’s Regional Office In Africa

By Angeline Mgbele, Correspondent Abuja

Chair of the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) and 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon will join African Development Bank Group (AfDB) President Akinwumi Adesina, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva and African leaders from across the continent for the launch of GCA Africa on Wednesday, 16 September 2020 at 12.00 GMT.

GCA Africa, hosted at the African Development Bank headquarters in Abidjan, will work closely with its partners from all sectors to align initiatives with global programs, coordinate projects across the continent, and deliver accelerated action for communities affected by climate change across Africa.

With headquarters in the Netherlands and regional offices in China and Bangladesh, the GCA acts as a solutions broker to accelerate, innovate and scale adaptation action for a climate-resilient world. It is co-chaired by Ban Ki-moon and Feike Sijbesma, Honorary Chairman of Royal DSM. African Development Bank President Adesina and Kristalina Georgieva both serve as members of the Board.

The launch event will be followed by a Partnership Forum – an open dialogue with stakeholders from across the continent to advance Africa’s adaptation priority actions and to discuss how GCA Africa can support and ensure better coordination for greater impact.

Confirmed speakers include:

• Chair of the Global Center on Adaptation and 8th Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon
• Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Amina Mohammed
• President of Gabon and Chair of the African Adaptation Initiative, Ali Bongo Ondimba
• President, African Development Bank, Akinwumi Adesina
• Managing Director, International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva
•  CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation, Patrick Verkooijen
• Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki Mahamat

The media are invited to join the ceremony via  Zoom.