Tanzania hosts major climate finance forum for first time

ARUSHA, TANZANIA (AA) - Tanzania's vice-president on Monday inaugurated a UN-sanctioned forum meeting aimed at accelerating intergovernmental efforts to tackle climate change.

Philip Mpango inaugurated the 24th Forum and the 35th Meeting of the Permanent Financial Committee of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) today at the Arusha International Conference Centre (AICC).

The five-day meeting, which marks the first time Tanzania has hosted such a significant event, brings together 200 participants from over 80 countries.

It is a preparatory session for the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), set to take place in November in Baku, Azerbaijan.

According to a statement from the vice-president’s office, Tanzania was chosen to host the meeting following a request by President Samia Suluhu Hassan to the UNFCCC.

The selection aims to enhance access to climate financing and address crucial issues related to funding for climate action.

The forum, themed “Increasing Speed in Dealing with Climate Change through Gender Responsive Financing,” will focus on strategies to improve climate change funding.

The Permanent Financial Committee, established during the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16), includes 32 members from both developing and developed nations. Its primary role is to facilitate access to funding for climate initiatives.

The UNFCCC, founded in 1992, brings together signatory nations to work collaboratively in stabilizing greenhouse gas concentrations to prevent dangerous human interference with the climate system. The Conference of the Parties (COP) has met nearly annually since its inception.