Banjul, 16 October 2024 – The Gambia’s campaign for resilience shifted to high gear as it launched the inaugural Global Shield workshop in Banjul from 18 to 19 September 2024. The event was organized by The Gambia’s Ministry of Finance & Economic Affairs (MOFEA), Ministry of Environment, Climate Change & Natural Resources (MECCNAR), and National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA). The collaboration brought together stakeholders to kick off consultations aimed at addressing the country’s most pressing financial protection needs in the face of intensifying climate shocks.
With over 110 participants, the two-day event set the stage for meaningful partnership and the development of innovative strategies meant to strengthen The Gambia’s resilience to climate change. Discussions focused on major climate threats faced by The Gambia, as well as insights on urgent measures needed for climate protection. The workshop provided a thorough stocktake of the country’s Climate and Disaster Risk Finance and Insurance (CDRFI) landscape. To sustain momentum from the multi-stakeholder gathering, participants agreed to establish a Global Shield Task Force consisting of multisectoral local representatives to guide further progress.
The Gambia has marked itself as a pacesetter in the region in fostering collaborative conditions for climate resilience and disaster risk finance, having served as Co-Chair of the highest governing body of the InsuResilience Global Partnership, the precursor to the Global Shield. Its 2021 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) was rated “almost sufficient” to meet the 1.5° target of the Paris agreement, positioning the country well under the Net-Zero 2050 Agenda. However, the impacts of climate change such as severe flooding, droughts, windstorms, fire outbreaks, epidemics, and diseases have stalled progress, rendering livelihoods increasingly vulnerable.
The Gambian Authorities have thus engaged the Global Shield against Climate Risks to support the preemptive mitigation of disasters to minimize setbacks on livelihoods and socio-economic costs borne by communities as well as global warming-induced pressures imposed on an already-constrained economy.
In his keynote address, Honorable Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Seedy K.M Keita, ably represented by Professor Pierre Gomez, Minister of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, recalled that The Gambia championed the development of the Global Shield from its inception and felt heartened by the progress and global momentum registered since: “Our nation remains highly vulnerable to climate-related risks, and the economic and social toll of these challenges is undeniable, and nowhere is this more evident than in our agricultural sector, which serves as the backbone of our economy.”
His message emphasized The Gambia’s commitment to work with all stakeholders to design a future where pre-arranged financial protection against climate risks is not only accessible but scalable, ensuring no one is left behind. He said the moment has come to develop solutions that are inclusive, responsive, and capable of empowering communities to face climate challenges more confidently.
The Honorable Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources, Mrs. Rohey John Manjang, echoed the call to action: “With these vulnerabilities in mind, we look to the Global Shield against Climate Risks to support our efforts in building resilience against climate challenges. This workshop marks an important first step towards achieving our shared ambition, and I am optimistic that with your input and support, we will make the Global Shield a success in The Gambia.”
The Executive Director of the National Disaster Management Agency, Sanna Dahaba, highlighted the importance of the Global Shield process in the Gambia: “Firstly, it will assist in harnessing our potential, and secondly, it will provide an efficient solution to dealing with extreme climate events such as drought and floods by addressing the aforementioned challenges”.
A representative of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in The Gambia, Martina Bock de Oliveira, said: “The Embassy is grateful to the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources of The Gambia for their leading role in this process, and above all for recognizing the importance of taking action. At the end of the day, it’s about providing financial resources for faster, more effective aid to the people and communities affected, as well as reducing economic losses and costs – including for public budgets.”
The Gambia’s Country Director of the World Food Programme, Miranda Sende, pointed to existing initiatives that can build the foundation to scale up solutions for pre-arranged disaster risk finance solutions, such as insurance: “The Gambia experienced long dry spells in 2022, resulting in late sowing of crops, which affected a total of 153,902 people. Responding to this, in May 2023, WFP distributed the first macro-level payout of Africa Risk Capacity (ARC) Replica in the country of USD 187,641 to a total of 1,088 households in need of food assistance, many of which headed by women”. Sende said such examples have the potential to be scaled up through the Global Shield process.
The Co-Director of the Global Shield Secretariat, Dr. Astrid Zwick, told stakeholders: “With your support, this process will ultimately aid The Gambia in developing a tailor-made, demand-driven Climate Risk Finance Strategy and guide its implementation. Together, we can change the paradigm: from crisis to risk management.”
A second multi-stakeholder workshop in The Gambia is scheduled for early 2025, offering participants the opportunity to collaboratively shape the Request for CDRFI Support to the Global Shield, which will be submitted by the Gambian government and which forms the basis for a tailor-made support package for The Gambia’s Climate and Disaster Risk Finance Strategy.
© @mygambiatravel
Launched at COP27 by the V20 Group of Finance Ministers and the G7, the Global Shield against Climate Risks aims to increase protection for climate-vulnerable economies and communities by providing and facilitating substantially more and better pre-arranged and trigger-based finance against disasters and climate risks. Greater financial protection and faster and more reliable disaster preparedness and response will contribute to effectively responding to losses and damages from climate change.
PRESS CONTACTS
Global Shield Secretariat: secretariat@globalshield.org