Call for Applications: AAI Young Professional Programme on Climate Finance – Africa

This program, hosted in Lome by Sustainable Solutions for Africa (SSA) and funded by USAID, aims to engage graduates, postgraduates, and early-career young professionals from all African countries in the critical field of climate finance.

AAI’s mission encompasses the following key objectives:

• Raise Awareness of Climate Adaptation: AAI strives to increase awareness of the challenges posed by climate change and the importance of adaptation measures.
• Facilitate Knowledge Management, Capacity Building, and Strengthening: The initiative is committed to enhancing expertise in climate adaptation through effective knowledge management, capacity-building initiatives, and strengthening relevant capacities.
• Support and Facilitate Resource Mobilization for Implementation: AAI works towards mobilizing resources to support the implementation of climate adaptation projects across the African continent.
• Promote Cooperation and Partnerships: AAI actively promotes collaboration and partnerships at sub-regional and regional levels, aiming to synergize efforts, scale interventions, and maximize shared benefits.
• Track Progress through Monitoring and Evaluation: The initiative employs monitoring and evaluation mechanisms to track the progress of adaptation actions, ensuring effective and accountable implementation.

AAI operates through a network of partners, collaborating with various stakeholders to achieve its programmatic objectives across 30 countries in Africa.

SSA has been working closely with AAI to bolster AAI’s technical capacity by assisting in the implementation of its priority technical initiatives, in alignment with AAI’s goal to expedite adaptation actions in Africa through the execution of the AAI work plan for 2023-2025. The support includes facilitating enhanced adaptation commitments, accessing adaptation finance, and building the capacity for tangible adaptation actions and project development. SSA acts as the implementing partner under several AAI flagship programmes.

The Climate Adaptation and Support Activity (CASA) – Technical Assistance to the Africa Adaptation Initiative

• USAID’s Climate Adaptation and Support Activity (CASA) aims to enhance the organizational and technical capacity of the AAI. CASA’s support encompasses activities in climate finance innovation, online finance capacity building, and the demonstration of climate adaptation technology, all aligned with AAI’s broader technical capacity for climate adaptation. CASA’s support to AAI comprises two distinct workstreams:
  • Capacity Building and Coordination of Climate Finance Mobilization: This workstream is focused on aiding AAI in establishing national and/or regional climate investments with viable funding goals for financing climate adaptation projects in the member countries of the African Union by the year 2025. Within this workstream, AAI will conduct preparatory assessments of African country Nationally Designated Authorities (NDAs) and Direct Accredited Entities (DAEs), offer customized capacity building activities, and provide structured technical assistance to address identified climate finance readiness needs.
  • Accelerate Investments in a Multisectoral Approach to Reduce Vulnerability: Dedicated to supporting the development of ECOVERSE, AAI’s flagship rural adaptation demonstration proposal, this workstream aims to establish a Business Case and Funding Model for concrete climate adaptation actions and project development for local communities. Emphasis within this workstream is placed on developing background analyses and concept notes to access climate finance specifically for the ECOVERSE project.

Program Overview

• The Young Professional Programme on Climate Finance offers a unique opportunity for graduates, postgraduates, and early-career young professionals from all African countries to actively engage in the crucial field of climate finance. The program is designed to provide participants with practical experience, exposure to cutting-edge projects, and the chance to contribute to climate change adaptation efforts across the African continent.
• The Youth Professional programme will support advancing Africa adaptation implementation agenda by increasing the continent’s capacity to successfully mobilize and utilize climate finance. Successful candidates will closely collaborate with the SSA team and serve as a Technical Partner for AAI. As part of the program, participants will also have the opportunity to engage with the AAI Adaptation Finance Academy, gaining exposure to real-world climate finance projects. This immersive experience aims to equip young professionals with the skills and knowledge needed to make meaningful contributions to climate adaptation in Africa

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be graduates, postgraduates, or early-career professionals from any African country.
• Demonstrated interest or background in climate finance, adaptation, or related fields.
• Strong analytical and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a dynamic environment.
• Passion for contributing to climate change solutions in Africa.

For more information, visit AAI.