National Determinant Contributions are key important actions targeting national climate plans, highlighting climate actions, including climate related targets, policies and measures which governments aim to implement in response to climate change and as a contribution to global climate action.

The Paris Agreement require each country to prepare, communicate and maintain successive nationally determined contributions (NDCs) that it intends to achieve. Governments therefore pursue domestic mitigation measures, with the aim of achieving the objectives of such contributions. These climate actions determine whether the world achieves the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement, to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as soon as possible. Hence, considering a lack of quality data system and climate modelling capacity, some of the African countries face a lot of challenges in preparing climate communication.

The African Energy Commission (AFREC) in collaboration with the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO) partnered to assist AU members states to implement a project which will develop specific activities aimed at strengthening the NDC Support Centre in Malawi, Uganda and Morocco. The activities which were launched, in May and October 2021 for all three nominated countries benefiting from the pilot initiative will improve reporting of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC).

The project targets that the efforts earmarked for the NDC will enhance capacities of African countries, by improving National Energy Information Systems (AEIS) and advance countries’ competencies on energy and climate modelling, so they are able to prepare climate communications and NDC governance processes. Technical demonstration projects planned for during the implementation of the project targets to improve energy efficiency and supporting renewable energy initiatives.

Ministers from the three member’s states who launched the project on behalf of their governments thanked the African Union, in particular AFREC for the initiative of the project and efforts aimed at providing assistance to Member states in the development of the Africa energy sector and transition initiatives. They pledged their support to ensure the success of the project and establish coordination mechanism between all partners who will be involved in the implementation of the project.

Particularly, H.E. Mrs. Kitutu Kimono Mary Goretti, Minister of Energy and Mineral Development of the Republic of Uganda expressed her gratitude from all partners’ effort and highlighted Uganda’s privileged to be nominated as an initial beneficiary country.

Honourable Newton Kambala, Minister of Energy in Malawi underlined that data collection, processing and dissemination is one of the key challenges which will be addressed through the Support Centre and that, energy statistics and modelling capabilities will be enhanced, an important action which is vital for determining the country’s GHG emissions.

While Her Excellency Dr. Leila Benali, Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development of Morocco said ‘‘Renewable energy and energy efficiency play a pivotal role in assisting with energy transition. Hence, in order to accelerate energy transition efforts, there is a need to implement the NDC which was adopted at the COP21 in Paris which was considered in COP22, especially on technology transfer action, financing and adaptation for climate in respect of Paris Agreement, to accelerate energy transition on our continent and adapt to climate change’’.

The NDC support project will be implemented for a period of two and half (2.5) year and will enhance knowledge supply and demand, assist energy climate communication, support the development of energy plans beyond 2030 and map out country contribution for future NDCs. It is expected that, after successful implementation of the project, more African countries are projected to benefit in the future

Mr Rashid Ali Abdallah, Executive Director of the African Energy Commission also emphasised that the NDC project will help member state’s make informed decisions on policy development, increase the capability of modelling of process data and develop demonstration climate mitigation projects. ‘‘These efforts supports the growing demand for countries to accelerate development, economic growth and investments in energy sector specially in energy transition, so AFREC can deliver on its mandate of strengthening the African Energy Information System (AEIS) as entrusted by the member states’’, he said.

The project is being implemented with financial support from the Government of Flanders (Belgium) through the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), and technical support from CO2Logic.