The 5th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-V) convened its final day on Friday, 30 October 2015, at the Elephant Hills Hotel, Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

In the morning, two back-to-back parallel sessions were held on: Climate Data for Decision Making; Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction; Climate Change and Energy; Governance; Agriculture, Trade and Food Security; Gender; Climate Science; Climate Change and Youth; and Sustainable Development.

A plenary followed, chaired by Franklyn Lisk, University of Warwick, on evaluating the performance of Article 2 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) for Africa. Chukwumeji Okereke, University of Reading, delivered a presentation with reactions from the panelists: David Lesolle, University of Botswana; Paul Desanker, UNFCCC Secretariat; Nkiruka Nnaemego, African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC); Washington Zhakata, Climate Change Management Department, Zimbabwe; and Seth Osafo, African Group of Negotiators (AGN).

Cristina Vicente-Ruiz, Representative of the European Union (EU) delegation to the African Union (AU), then presented an official statement on the EU’s position on the climate change negotiations highlighting commonalities in positions between the EU and Africa.

In the afternoon, a session chaired by Johnson Nkem, UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), reported the findings and key messages from pre-events, side events and the conference breakout sessions. Delegates then viewed a video with highlights from the African Youth Conference on Climate Change (AfriYOCC) held prior to CCDA-V.

In the evening, a closing plenary took place, chaired by James Murombedzi, ECA. Fatima Denton, Director, Special Initiatives Division, ECA, delivered the key messages of the CCDA-V, with closing remarks from Almami Dampha, African Union Commission (AUC) and Justus Kabyemera, African Development Bank (AfDB).

Following a vote of thanks by Fatima Denton, Edward Samuriwo, Office of the President and Cabinet, Zimbabwe, made a closing statement on behalf of Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri, Minister of Environment, Water and Climate, Zimbabwe, and declared the conference officially closed at 6:35 pm. 

Find out more...:   5th Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-V) - Climate Change and Sustainable Development: What is at Stake at Paris and Beyond?