Hannah Ryder (芮 婉 洁)

The Global Fund Board meeting made decisions on many important issues for us to be more targeted to further increase the effectiveness of our work. It was an excellent board with a great sense of unity. Key words I heard repeatedly were innovation (e.g., to revolutionize HIV prevention), integration and sustainability. More work to be done to define priorities and approaches to accelerate these critical themes for the next grant cycle, and for the future of the Fund and fight against HIV, TB and malaria.

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🌍 Redefining Investment Policies for a Sustainable Future 🌱 From 26–29 November 2024, the Civil Society Forum on “Aligning Investment Policy Frameworks to Climate and Sustainable Development Goals” will convene in Entebbe, Uganda. 🇺🇬 Organized by SEATINI UGANDA Both ENDS SOMO Transnational Institute, this forum will gather over 50 participants from 20 countries, primarily across Africa, to envision investment policy frameworks that champion #ClimateAction, #SocialJustice, and #SustainableDevelopment. 💡 Why This Matters: Many investment policy frameworks exacerbate global inequalities, perpetuate extractivist practices, and obstruct efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement targets. This forum will critically examine these frameworks and explore concrete alternatives that break away from the unsustainable growth-at-all-cost logic, centering instead on sustainability, equity, and the well-being of communities. 🤝 Our Shared Goal: Together, we aim to reimagine investment policies to ensure they protect people, the planet, and our collective future. #CSOInvestmentForumUganda #Investment #IIAs #BITs #ISDS #Trade #SDGs #Climate #JustTransition #Energy #Agroecology #HumanRights #Environment #Development #Africa

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How is the G7 going to meet its just announced ambition to support "Energy for Growth" in Africa? It says: "The initiative will engage with governments, the private sector, financial institutions, multilateral development banks, and community groups. It will partner with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Energy Agency (IEA). It will also coordinate with existing programmes, to ensure complementarity and avoid duplications, and will operate in close coordination with the G7 Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment." What does it mean? Anything new here? Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) CEO Damilola Ogunbiyi wrote this piece about what needs to be done: https://lnkd.in/ezxdF4vj A few additional thoughts: 💡 MDBs and DFIs need to provide lower or below cost financing. These institutions exist to promote development outcomes, not to make money. Most deals will make money, but they need to adjust their pricing given that the cost of capital today in the markets with the most need is much higher than it was a few years ago. 💡 USAID and the U.S. government need to step up on Power Africa already. President Obama committed $300m/year for 5 years at his Africa Leader's Summit in 2016. Only one tranche was ever disbursed. Fulfill that pledge. It's shameful to think we can light and power a continent for anything less than that. 💡 To keep the cost of electricity down for the next 20 years, MDBs and DFIs should take on more of the risk of local currency depreciation. They typically finance in dollars. Financing in local currency for 20 years would usually mean they lose money. At least share the currency risk. That's what grant money's for. 💡 Think regionally and not just locally. To accelerate the energy transition in Africa, countries that don't have base load power from hydropower and geothermal power need to buy it from their neighbors. That requires more robust cross-border transmission infrastructure and power trading. One reason that renewable energy hasn't scaled in sub-Saharan Africa is that many countries do not have enough base load power to support wind and solar. If DFIs, MDBs, philanthropies and governments do not facilitate trading or developing more renewable base load power, gas will be necessary. The G7 knows this. That's why G7 countries didn't think twice about shoring up gas supplies for themselves from others when Russia invaded Ukraine. Last week, I shared a study that said that it's in the G7's financial interest to subsidize the cost of the energy transition for emerging markets and developing economies. To the #G7: Thank you for the commitment. Please act on the announcement. We know what needs to be done. The World Bank IFC - International Finance Corporation U.S. International Development Finance Corporation British International Investment Todd Moss

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Excellent panel here talking about investor decision-making pertaining to social and environmental performance at the Economist Impact sustainability conference: Good Governance Africa pleased to be a media partner.

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https://lnkd.in/dRGtnAE3 Gender-based violence robs lives, dignity, and perpetuates insecurity. It leaves life-long scars that affect not only the victims but also their families and communities. This pervasive injustice perpetuates cycles of fear and inequality, diminishing our shared humanity. It requires concerted efforts across the private sector, communities, governments, and organizations to raise awareness, provide support, and advocate for change of behavior and attitude. To truly honor every person's worth and potential, we must confront and dismantle these systemic abuses, fostering a world where everyone is respected, cherished and safeguarded.

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Environmental, social and governance disclosure is critical for Africa’s sustainable development

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Delivery Units work when they are homegrown and avoid temptations to 'mimic' best practice models. Foremost, they need to reflect political consensus around a shared purpose for national development. https://lnkd.in/g-sizCSX

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#UEW2024 For all those in Uganda and elsewhere, this years UEW will be seriously interesting and seriously practical, especially if you are an expert or enthusiast in elements of this years theme “Development with Purpose: Empowering Accountable learning for achieving Development Goals and Enhancing Climate Resilience” - see link to the modest registration costs below: https://lnkd.in/dYUCWBTV

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[Upcoming Webinar] The Auditor-General of South Africa's recent 2022/23 audit outcomes report has sounded an urgent call for transformation in local government. At the heart of her message is the critical need for: "Courageous, ethical, accountable and citizen-centric leadership" to overhaul a local government characterised by insufficient accountability, failing service delivery, poor governance, weak institutional capacity, and instability. To address these challenges, the Auditor-General emphasises the vital role of the "Accountability Ecosystem" - the network of stakeholders with legislative or moral responsibilities to drive and deepen public sector accountability. Join Future Cities Africa and The Municipal Edge for an insightful webinar exploring: * How the Governance and Accountability Ecosystem can drive positive change in municipalities * Practical strategies to improve audit outcomes * Innovative approaches to enhance service delivery * The roles various stakeholders can play in strengthening local government Zolani Zonyane, CGFO Emmanuel Ngcobo CIGFARO South African Local Government Association

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🌍 Day 4 #CSOInvestmentForumUganda: The Entebbe Declaration 📢 On the final day of the Civil Society Forum in Entebbe, Uganda, African and European CSOs unveiled the historic Entebbe Declaration - a powerful call to action for global investment frameworks that truly serve people and the planet. 🌱✨ Together, we demand transformative change to put human rights, gender and climate justice, sustainable development, and environmental protection above profit-driven exploitation. 🌟 Why Now? In the face of compounding crises - climate emergencies, soaring debt, economic inequality, and global governance failures #COP29 - we must act decisively. The current investment regime entrenches extractivism, economic dependency, and environmental destruction, hindering Africa and the Global South from achieving inclusive and sustainable development. 🌍 What the Entebbe Declaration Represents: - A bold vision from civil society to replace exploitative systems with fair, green, and accountable investment policies. - A clear demand to align investments with the needs of local economies, the goals of climate action, and sustainable development. - A roadmap for rebuilding trust, where policies center on justice, inclusion, and resilience. The Entebbe Declaration is more than a statement, it’s a movement for change led by African voices for a sustainable and just future. 💪 📄 The Declaration will be published soon, stay tuned for updates! 👀 SEATINI UGANDA SOMO Both ENDS ActionAid Nederland #EntebbeDeclaration #Investment #ClimateJustice #HumanRights #JustTransition #SustainableDevelopment #Africa

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Organisations and specialists urged to register on AfriForum’s Water Crisis Portal AfriForum is calling on organisations, engineers, specialists, and stakeholders involved in all aspects of water management to register on the civil rights organisation’s Water Crisis Portal (WCP). This initiative aims to update and expand AfriForum’s existing register of more than 600 specialists, engineers and companies already listed and thereby put together a comprehensive list of expertise and resources available to address the pressing water challenges currently facing South Africa. The organisation made a request to Deputy President Paul Mashatile and the Minister of Water and Sanitation, Senzo Mchunu, after Mashatile recently indicated that the national government is prepared to involve AfriForum and other role players in civil society in the government’s water task force. However, AfriForum has not yet received any communication. AfriForum believes that addressing the water crisis requires swift and decisive action from all stakeholders involved. Failure to act urgently not only prolongs the deterioration of communities affected by water shortages and access to clean water but also exacerbates the environmental and socio-economic impact of the crisis. The organisation remains committed to working with government officials, water experts and community representatives to find solutions to the water crisis. The organisation urges all stakeholders to prioritise collaboration and action to mitigate the impact of the crisis on communities and the environment. Registrations on AfriForum’s Water Crisis Portal are now open. Visit www.watercrises.co.za for more information or to register on the database.

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And so the curtain is drawn on a wonderful week of engagement with UN leaders on Africas sustainable development #AFRSD The Draft Addis Ababa declaration on the effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions to reinforce the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 and to eradicate poverty in times of multiple crises highlights among other things the need: (i) To ensure the timely reform of the global financial institutions and architecture to make them fit for purpose and able to serve the interests of Africa and developing countries elsewhere in the world; (ii) To ensure the existence of global financing mechanisms that give African and other developing countries access to adequate and equitable concessional financing and to affordable market-based resources to accelerate sustainable development; (iii) To advance the efforts of the Secretary-General to close the Sustainable Development Goal financing gap through his proposed Sustainable Development Goal stimulus. UN Environment Programme United Nations

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Namibia Rolls Out Digital Tool to Boost Green Sector Investments Namibia is taking a significant step towards promoting sustainable development and attracting foreign investment with the introduction of a new digital tool designed to connect sustainable suppliers with enterprises both domestically and internationally. This initiative is crucial in addressing the global annual $2.4 trillion climate financing gap, emphasizing the collective responsibility of all sectors in closing this gap. The Namibia Sustainable Supplier Database, developed in partnership with the World Economic Forum, is a searchable online platform featuring Namibian businesses committed to sustainable practices. This innovative tool aims to facilitate Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Namibia's green sector by providing detailed information about the country's most competitive and sustainable companies. Here’s how it works: Searchable Online Platform: Investors and global firms can easily search for Namibian businesses that meet specific sustainability criteria. Company Details: The database includes comprehensive profiles of companies, showcasing their commitment to sustainable development. Companies listed in the database are evaluated based on five key s... #GreenSectorInvestments #Namibia

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YWCA Kenya is inviting you to a Zoom webinar: When: May 17, 2024 02:00 PM Nairobi Topic: The role of communities in Climate finance mobilization, utilization, tracking and monitoring.. _Register in advance for this webinar:_ https://lnkd.in/dve7FSgP After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

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