Continental Capacity Strengthening and Review Roundtable of Africa Faith Actors Network for Climate Justice (AFAN-CJ)

The Africa Faith Actors Network for Climate Justice (AFAN-CJ) continues to grow in numbers, visibility, and recognition by key stakeholders in Africa and beyond. The network has strengthened the AACC’s work on creation care. The particular interest of faith leaders in the issues of climate change is informed by the fact that environmental issues raise ethical and moral questions that demand for their responses. That reality motivated the AACC to establish the AFAN-CJ in June of 2022 in Nairobi, Kenya. The AFAN-CJ was a result of a continental reflection meeting on the role of faith actors in climate justice action. Since 2022, the network connected with local, continental, and global climate justice processes. Yet, critical lessons have been picked at the local and continental levels about the work of the network. Thus, the planned continental capacity strengthening and review roundtable in Nairobi is 
meant to create a platform for deepening capacity of members, sharing success stories and lessons learnt to date by the AFAN-CJ members across the continent. The meeting will also assess and document the implementation of AFAN-CJ work plans that were developed at the inception of the network and the subsequent annual programs. In the absence of the official United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Africa Climate Week, the meeting will allow the AFAN-CJ to clearly outline the positions of faith leaders on climate change negotiations towards COP29 and beyond. 

The AACC will convene the meeting in collaboration with some key stakeholders from the civil society, notably the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA). The specific roles of PACJA will be to strengthen the capacity of the AFAN-CJ in specific selected areas such as advocacy. The Africa Group of Negotiators will also provide official positions regarding specific advocacy issues on climate change for the continent. 

Specific Objectives
1. To strengthen the capacity of faith leaders on dynamics of climate justice actions.
2. To document key lessons, challenges, and initiatives by the faith communities on Climate Change to shape AACC’s accompaniment efforts and advocacy actions
3. To consolidate faith leaders' position towards AACC’s participation in COP29