The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) is once again, accompanying the African Group of Negotiators at the 29th Conference of the Parties on Climate Change – COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11 to 22 November 2024. 

“Finance will be the focus of COP29. Developing countries urgently need support to accelerate the transition to clean energy and deal with the impacts of climate change.  In this regard, COP29 aims to set a new finance goal that unlocks the trillions of dollars needed and provide confidence it will be delivered,” says ECA’s James Murombedzi whose team provides backstopping support to the African Group of Negotiators (AGN). The AGN plays a key role in the push for a strong and concerted voice on key priorities for Africa.

In this regard, ECA will on 20th November hold an event with AUDA- NEPAD on Loss and Damage in Africa to explore the modalities for strengthening Africa’s understanding of the role of Loss and Damage fund and to review the continent’s readiness to quantify losses and seek compensation from the fund. 

As a world-leading ICT infrastructure and intelligent terminal provider, Huawei was invited to attend the opening ceremony of the Super Terminal Expo and speak at a panel. Huawei showcased its latest products and solutions at the exhibition, as well as its achievements in helping the aviation and logistics industries go digital and intelligent.

ICT infrastructure development is crucial to the digital and intelligent transformations of civil aviation. At the panel Airport Hub Strategies and APAC Challenges, Jacky Wang, Vice President of Smart Transportation BU, Huawei, noted that the business scope of hub airports is expanding, and that passenger, freight, commercial, fund, and information flows are merging at a faster pace. According to Jacky Wang, Huawei is committed to creating a digital and intelligent foundation that features multi-dimensional sensing, ubiquitous connectivity, and an open platform, to help hub airports improve operational efficiency, passenger experiences, and airport security. “By harnessing Huawei’s AI capabilities, we hope to collaborate with industry customers and partners to develop more intelligent solutions. These solutions are expected to drive the intelligent transformation of hub airports and enhance the level of intelligence in the civil aviation sector,” he said.

At a time when the transformation of food systems in the face of climate change requires unprecedented levels of funding and financial innovation, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), a UN specialized agency and international financial institution, has both increased and exceeded its goals in concretely delivering financing to rural and vulnerable populations. As of today, IFAD has invested more than US$1.28 billion in projects supporting small-scale farmers to adapt to climate change and produce food sustainably for the period 2022-2024. This represents 47 per cent of the Fund’s Programme of Loans and Grants (PoLG), and exceeds the target set at 40 per cent.

IFAD’s Climate Action Report 2024, entitled “Green Horizons: A Year of Climate Action for People, Resilience and Biodiversity” was released today, highlighting IFAD’s strengthened commitment to supporting the world’s most vulnerable small-scale farmers. The report documents IFAD’s efforts to help these farmers adapt to climate change impacts, protect ecosystems, and promote sustainable agriculture.

Kenya reports high in vitality according to the Cigna International Health Study 2024, scoring 79.4, while overall wellbeing rose to 61 points from 50 in 2023. However, stress remains a major issue, with 84% of employees reporting high levels of stress, primarily due to rising living costs and financial concerns.

The survey, which included over 10,000 participants from 11 global markets, assessed wellbeing across eight factors: emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual. In Kenya, physical wellbeing improved significantly to 64%, up 15 points from last year, while spiritual wellbeing also rose by 5 points.

Financial stress emerged as a critical issue, with 65% of respondents identifying the cost of living and personal finance as their primary sources of stress. Only 17% expressed positive financial wellbeing. Women reported higher stress levels (87%) than men (81%), revealing gender disparities in wellbeing.

Despite these challenges, 57% of Kenyan employees felt that their managers genuinely care about their mental wellbeing, the highest percentage in the MEA region. Family and community support remain crucial in building resilience, with 79% of employees feeling supported by their families.