What: The Conference is composed of all Member States of the African Union (AU) who have signed the Agreement for the Establishment of the African Risk Capacity Agency (currently 35 Member States). Member States who have not signed the Agreement and partner organizations will attend as observers.

When: 3 – 4 APRIL 2023.

Where: The Conference will take place at the AU Headquarters, Addis Ababa in the Medium Conference Hall.

Who: The meeting will be co-organized by the African Risk Capacity Agency and the African Union Commission (AUC) through the Department of Agriculture Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment.

Why: Building resilience to natural and human induced hazards have gained significant momentum on the continent. The African Union Commission (AUC) and Regional Economic Communities (RECs) alongside African states have instituted normative frameworks to build resilience of African nations. These include development of strategies on Disaster Risk Reduction, Climate Change, Weather and Climate services, biodiversity and ecosystem-based solutions. The 50-year Pan African Agenda: The Agenda 2063 which was adopted in 2003 is an important ligament that coordinate implementation of these resilience frameworks. Further opportunities have been made available by the adoption of global agenda such as Paris Agreement, Sendai Framework, Sustainable Development Goals and New Urban Agenda.

The Assembly of the AU decided to create the African Risk Capacity Agency in July 2012. The African Risk Capacity Agency is a Specialized Agency of the AU established to assist Member States of the AU to improve their capacities to better plan, prepare and respond to extreme weather events and natural disasters. The African Risk Capacity Agency has an affiliate, ARC Insurance Ltd, that was established by the Conference of the Parties to provide risk transfer programmes.

Objectives:

The Conference of the Parties is the supreme organ of ARC Agency. The Conference of the Parties meets once a year in ordinary session to consider ARC’s programmes and activities.

Expected Outcome:

The CoP will consider and take decisions relating to the ARC Group (ARC Agency and ARC Ltd) regarding the following:

• Activities of the ARC Group (ARC Agency and ARC Ltd) since the Twelfth session of the CoP;
• Report of the ARC Group Board on its activities;
• ARC Agency’s 2023 Programme of Work and Budget;
• Membership fees and sustainability of the Institution
• Signature and Ratification of the ARC Treaty

Participants:

The meeting brings together representatives from Member States, bilateral and multilateral partners, including UN Agencies, foundations, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), Other AU Member States, RECs, Global Resilience community, Academia, Private Sector, Civil Society, as well as others.

Representatives of the media are invited to cover the Conference to be held from 3 - 4 April 2023. Media practitioners will attend the opening ceremony for the Ministerial Session (4 April, 14:30 -15:10). There will also be a Press Briefing on 4^th April 2023 at 14:00).

For media inquiries, please contact:

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke| Media Center Coordinator| Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission | E-mail: MolaletT@africa-union.org