The UNFCCC, through the Regional Collaboration Centre for East and Southern Africa, organized a dialogue among country officials and development partners to enhance understanding of available support for National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), share best practices, and identify areas of collaboration to accelerate the finance and technical assistance required for the formulation, submission, and implementation of NAPs.

• Support available for NAP implementation and formulation: The webinar provided information to Parties on regional support opportunities and how to access them efficiently.

• Needs identification: Participants identified concrete areas requiring further support to ensure the development and submission of NAPs by 2025, in line with Decision 1/CMA.5, paragraph 59.

• Strengthened coordination: Development partners gained valuable insights to help better tailor and coordinate their support for the formulation and implementation of NAPs. By facilitating these discussions, the webinar aimed to empower stakeholders involved in the NAP process across the region to effectively navigate climate adaptation planning and secure the necessary support.

Target Audience

• Government officials from relevant ministries (Environment, Finance, Planning) NAP focal points.
• International and Development Partners.
• International / Local NGOs.
• Academia and research institutions.

Insights from the RCC EASA Webinar on Accelerating support for Implementation and formulation of the National Adaptation Plans in the Region"

Stakeholders from across East and Southern Africa convened virtually on June 4th, 2025, for a pivotal regional dialogue focused on accelerating support for the formulation and implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). Hosted by the UNFCCC's Regional Collaboration Centre for Eastern and Southern Africa (RCC EASA), the webinar drew 96 participants, including government representatives, international organizations, and adaptation experts, all eager to share knowledge and navigate the challenges in the implementation and formulation of NAPs to build strong climate resilience.

Key Takeaways:

• The UNFCCC Secretariat emphasized the critical role of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs),  communicated a 2025 submission deadline and updated LDC Expert Group guidelines.
• Support Available for NAPs: Insights were shared on various funding mechanisms, including the Green Climate Fund, Adaptation Fund, and Global Environment Facility, along with strategies for accessing these resources and presented new strategies to streamline processes on accessing finance for NAPs. Furthermore, UNDP highlighted its technical support in NAP processes, including trainings, knowledge tools and systems and inclusive consultations among others. Parties were encouraged to utilize UNDP country offices for support requests.
• NAP Experiences: Kenya's successful NAP journey highlighted best practices such as strong legal frameworks, phased implementation, sectoral mainstreaming, devolved climate finance, and diversified resource mobilization and other countries were urged to replicate these effective strategies in their own NAP processes.

Challenges Acknowledged: Despite progress, participants identified ongoing challenges, including technical capacity gaps, significant funding shortfalls—exemplified by Kenya's $44 billion gap—and coordination complexities across sectors

Upcoming Activities: The Regional Lead for RCC-EASA- Mr. William Otieno urged NAP focal points to actively engage in future events, including SBs Engagement (June, Bonn), the Africa Climate Week, Project Writer Workshops and the Global NAP Expo (August, Zambia) all aimed at further bridging capacity gaps in the NAP processes.  

The webinar proved to be a crucial forum for knowledge sharing and collaboration, reinforcing the commitment of East and Southern African nations to accelerate climate adaptation through effective National Adaptation Plans. The RCC EASA remains dedicated to bridging global ambition with regional action.