Ethiopia hosts CIF Global Knowledge Exchange to drive climate finance and resilience

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

The Ministry of Finance Ethiopia has jointly launched the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) Global Knowledge Exchange in Addis Ababa, bringing together international partners to strengthen climate finance cooperation and resilience-focused investment.

The four-day event, running from 27 to 30 April 2026, is organised in partnership with the Climate Investment Funds, the African Development Bank Group and the World Bank Group. It has convened more than 150 participants from 27 partner countries, along with representatives from multilateral development banks, the private sector and civil society.

Opening the plenary session, Ethiopia’s Finance Minister Ahmed Shide highlighted the country’s commitment to climate action, noting that Ethiopia has integrated climate resilience into its national development strategy. He said the country’s climate-resilient green economy approach is aimed at promoting sustainable, inclusive and resilient growth.

A key feature of the event was the launch of the Accelerating Resilience Investments and Innovations for Sustainable Economies (ARISE) programme, a new CIF initiative designed to mobilise catalytic financing for climate resilience projects. The programme will provide funding of between 30 million and 40 million US dollars per country, with up to 50 million US dollars available for regional programmes.

Officials said ARISE is intended to support countries in integrating resilience into national development planning, while converting climate risks into investment opportunities that drive long-term economic stability.

Ethiopia’s ongoing collaboration with CIF includes nearly 90 million US dollars in climate-related investments targeting clean energy access and nature-based solutions. The country also reiterated its intention to strengthen its role in global climate diplomacy as it prepares to host COP32.

CIF Chief Executive Officer Tariye Gbadegesin emphasised the economic urgency of climate resilience investments, noting that climate shocks are already causing significant global economic losses and highlighting the importance of protecting livelihoods and sustaining economic activity.

The event is expected to support deeper collaboration on climate finance and reinforce efforts to scale up resilience-focused development across participating countries.