14th African Regional Meeting

Submitted by admin on Wed, 2024-04-24 13:30

14th African Regional Meeting

28 - 30 August 2024, hybrid, hosted by RCE North Rift

(Photo credit: Mr Evans Kiplagat Moi)

On 28–30 August 2024, the 14th African Regional Meeting was held in Eldoret, Kenya, bringing together Regional Centres of Expertise (RCE) on Education for Sustainable Development from the continent. The event was hosted by RCE North Rift and the University of Eldoret, in collaboration with the National Environment Management Authority of Kenya (NEMA) and the Eldoret National Polytechnic, under the theme “The Role of RCE in Climate Action, Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.

In opening remarks, Akpezi Ogbuigwe (Regional Advisor to Africa Region RCEs) emphasized the critical role of RCEs as hubs of action for sustainable development in local communities. Jonghwi Park (Academic Programme Officer, UNU-IAS) called for immediate and collective climate action, stressing that RCEs are at the forefront of local climate initiatives. Tokie Izaki (Deputy Director of Environmental Education, Ministry of the Environment, Japan) noted that the meeting aimed to strengthen the African RCE network and its ESD efforts.

The regional meeting mobilised various stakeholders, including local communities, academic institutions and governments to engage actively in ecosystem restoration, waste management, sustainable livelihoods, and the adoption of renewable energy and green financing to address climate change through ESD. Through the plenary and breakout sessions, the regional meeting served as venue for discussions on addressing climate vulnerability, promoting sustainable development practices in the African region and highlighting the importance of collaborative efforts of all African RCEs. Discussion topics included the role of RCE multi-stakeholder partnerships for climate action and climate financing, enhancing food security and sustainable livelihoods through climate initiatives, SDG localization, addressing waste and pollution control, and tackling biodiversity loss.

The regional meeting also empowered youth and women in mainstreaming ESD and SDGs in the African region. Participants engaged in sessions on integrating gender, youth and community perspectives into climate action in the context of ESD and the SDGs. The Africa RCE Youth Forum was held on the final day, gathering young leaders to discuss the challenges and opportunities of youth-led climate initiatives. The forum included project pitching sessions, art exhibitions, the election of the Africa RCE youth leader, and cultural performances that showcased the creativity and innovation of Africa’s youth.

For more details, please refer to the report created by the organisers here.

The Global RCE Service Centre would like to thank the teams at RCE North Rift and the University of Eldoret for their wonderful contributions and efforts hosting and organising a successful 14th African Regional Meeting, and to all participants for their active participation and contributions.