East African MPs Adopt Climate Finance Scorecard and Disaster Price Dashboards in New Action Plan

East African parliamentarians adopt an action plan on climate finance, water security, disaster preparedness and accountable governance in Addis Ababa.

Members of the Eastern African Regional Caucus of the Pan-African Parliament have adopted an action plan introducing a regional climate finance scorecard, climate budget tagging and emergency procurement price dashboards to strengthen accountability and climate resilience across Eastern Africa.

The measures form part of a communiqué adopted at the conclusion of a two-day regional workshop held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from 9 to 10 September 2026.

The workshop, convened under the theme “Climate Change in the Eastern African Region: Strengthening Water Security, Good Governance and Peace through Parliamentary Action,” committed regional parliamentarians to stronger and more measurable action on climate change, water security, good governance, peace and security.

The communiqué was formally adopted in Addis Ababa on 10 September 2026.

Ethiopian Speaker opens regional workshop

The workshop was officially opened by the Rt. Hon. Tagesse Chafo, Speaker of Ethiopia’s House of Peoples’ Representatives.

Participants included H.E. Hon. Dr. Ashebir Gayo, First Vice-President of the Pan-African Parliament; Hon. Amb. Emmanuel Lowilla, Chairperson of the Eastern African Regional Caucus; Hon. Houssein Ali, Vice-Chairperson; Hon. Miriam Mungula, Rapporteur; Amb. Bridgette Motsepe; Members of the Pan-African Parliament; representatives of the African Union Commission and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development; experts and other regional partners.

Their discussions examined the growing effects of recurrent droughts, floods, water and food insecurity, displacement, loss of livelihoods and competition over natural resources across Eastern Africa.

Members agreed that climate change could no longer be addressed merely as an environmental concern. It must also be treated as a governance, development, human rights and regional security priority.

This broader approach recognizes that climate shocks can weaken livelihoods, increase competition over scarce resources, worsen existing vulnerabilities and contribute to social tensions and insecurity.

From climate pledges to measurable action

The communiqué gives practical expression to the call for Africa to move from climate pledges to implementation.

It calls for stronger parliamentary oversight of climate policies, laws, programmes and commitments, with greater attention to accountability and measurable results.

National parliaments are encouraged to strengthen climate-responsive legislation and promote the sustainable and equitable management of water and other natural resources.

Members also called for adequate and sustainable financing for climate adaptation, water security, disaster preparedness and resilient infrastructure.

Parliaments will be expected to scrutinize climate-related budgets and financing arrangements more closely, monitor implementation and ensure that resources reach affected communities.

The communiqué further emphasizes transparency, accountability and meaningful public participation in the management of climate and water resources, particularly for communities most vulnerable to environmental shocks.

Regional climate finance scorecard proposed

One of the most significant commitments is the proposed establishment of a regional climate finance scorecard.

The scorecard would track climate-finance allocations, the actual release of approved funds, expenditure, project implementation and impact on communities.

This could provide parliaments with a common framework for determining whether climate-finance commitments are being fulfilled and whether allocated resources are producing measurable benefits.

Tracking allocations alone is insufficient. Funds may appear in national budgets without being released on time, properly spent or used for their intended purposes.

By monitoring the entire chain from allocation and release to expenditure, implementation and community impact the proposed scorecard could reveal funding gaps, delays and weak performance.

It could also support comparisons across the region and provide reliable evidence for parliamentary engagement with governments, regional organizations, international partners and climate-finance institutions.

Climate budget tagging and expenditure reports

The communiqué encourages climate budget tagging and the publication of annual climate-expenditure reports.

Climate budget tagging would identify climate-related allocations across government ministries, departments and agencies.

Climate expenditure is frequently spread across agriculture, water, energy, transport, environment, health, infrastructure and emergency-management institutions. Without a consistent tagging system, it may be difficult for parliamentarians and citizens to determine how much a government is spending on climate action.

Annual public expenditure reports would make it easier to establish whether approved funds were released, how they were used and what results they produced.

Together, climate budget tagging, expenditure reporting and the proposed finance scorecard could strengthen parliamentary oversight throughout the budget cycle.

They could also help prevent conventional development projects from being misleadingly presented as climate interventions merely to secure specialised funding.

Emergency price dashboards to curb profiteering

Another notable commitment is the development of emergency procurement price dashboards. The proposed dashboards are intended to promote transparency and prevent profiteering during climate-related disasters.

Floods, droughts and other emergencies can require governments to procure food, drinking water, medicines, shelter, transportation and construction materials through accelerated procedures.

Although emergency procurement is often necessary to save lives, reduced competition and exceptional contracting procedures can create opportunities for inflated prices, favouritism and the diversion of public resources.

Price dashboards could allow parliamentarians, oversight bodies and members of the public to compare the prices paid for essential goods and services during emergencies. Unusual price differences could then be identified and investigated.

The proposal demonstrates that climate governance is also a public-finance and anti-corruption issue. Every amount lost through inflated contracts or mismanagement reduces the resources available to communities affected by disasters.

Passaris calls for preparedness and accountability

Hon. Esther Passaris, OGW, MP, a member of the Kenyan delegation to the Pan-African Parliament and panelist on climate financing and budgetary oversight, welcomed the adoption of the communiqué.

“Our responsibility as parliamentarians is to ensure that climate commitments are reflected in legislation, budgets, oversight and measurable results for our communities,” she said.

“We must prepare before disasters occur, protect public resources and ensure that climate financing reaches the people who need it most.”

Her remarks underscore the need to shift from reactive disaster responses to long-term preparedness and resilience.

Preparation requires governments to invest in early-warning systems, resilient infrastructure, water management, emergency planning and social-protection mechanisms before disasters occur. Parliamentarians must ensure that such measures receive adequate funding and are effectively implemented.

Climate change, water insecurity and regional peace

The communiqué recognizes the connection between climate and water insecurity and peace and security in Eastern Africa.

Droughts, changing rainfall patterns and pressure on shared resources can intensify competition between communities and across national borders.

The parliamentarians consequently called for greater engagement in conflict prevention, dialogue, conflict-sensitive resource management and regional parliamentary diplomacy.

They also advocated stronger cooperation on trans-boundary water resources, climate risks, early-warning systems and the exchange of information and knowledge.

Because many rivers, lakes, ecosystems and pastoral routes cross national borders, unilateral responses are unlikely to be sufficient. Effective management requires cooperation between neighbouring states and coordination among regional institutions.

Parliamentary focal persons for early warning

The communiqué proposes the designation of parliamentary focal persons to engage with IGAD, the East African Community and the African Union on early-warning information and trans-boundary climate risks.

These focal persons could help connect technical information generated by regional institutions with the legislative, budgetary and oversight responsibilities of national parliaments.

Early-warning information has limited value if it does not lead to timely decisions, preparedness measures and the release of resources.

Parliamentarians can use such information to question governments, demand contingency planning, scrutinize disaster-management agencies and ensure that vulnerable communities receive adequate protection.

The focal persons could also facilitate cooperation among Eastern African parliaments when droughts, floods, displacement or resource-related pressures affect more than one country.

Towards a common parliamentary framework

Members encouraged the Eastern African Regional Caucus to develop a common parliamentary framework for action on climate change, water security, governance, peace and security.

The proposed framework would draw upon the outcomes of the workshop and remain subject to the appropriate procedures of the Pan-African Parliament.

A common framework could establish shared legislative and oversight priorities, improve cooperation among national parliaments and support the development of common positions on regional climate challenges.

It could also promote the domestication and effective implementation of relevant African Union and regional frameworks.

Members committed themselves to exchanging legislative and oversight experiences and carrying the outcomes of the workshop into their respective national parliaments.

They are expected to promote appropriate legislative, budgetary and oversight action within their national contexts.

Time-bound implementation matrix

To prevent the communiqué from becoming another declaration without effective follow-up, the parliamentarians called for a time-bound implementation matrix.

The Eastern African Regional Caucus Secretariat is expected to prepare the matrix and report progress at the next Caucus meeting.

An effective implementation matrix should identify the commitments to be fulfilled, the institutions or officials responsible, applicable deadlines, expected results and reporting requirements.

Regular progress reports would allow members to determine whether agreed actions have been initiated and identify areas requiring additional political or institutional support.

The communiqué also calls upon the relevant structures of the Pan-African Parliament to facilitate follow-up and maintain engagement with the African Union and regional institutions.

Dr. Ashebir Gayo recognized for leadership

The communiqué particularly recognized PAP First Vice-President Dr. Ashebir Gayo for his direct intervention, leadership and facilitation in the successful convening of the workshop.

Members stated that his efforts were instrumental in ensuring that the meeting took place.

The recognition follows Dr. Gayo’s intervention at the Fourteenth Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa, where he called for stronger parliamentary leadership in translating climate commitments into national laws, budgets and programmes.

He argued that Africa must move beyond participation in global climate processes towards genuine climate agency by advancing solutions reflecting the continent’s circumstances, priorities and development aspirations.

The workshop’s measurable commitments, including the climate finance scorecard, climate budget tagging, public expenditure reports and emergency price dashboards provide practical mechanisms for advancing that objective.

Implementation will be the real test

The Addis Ababa communiqué represents an important effort to place parliaments at the centre of Eastern Africa’s response to climate change, water insecurity and related threats to development and regional peace.

Its significance will ultimately depend on implementation.

The finance scorecard must be developed and used. Climate expenditure must be properly tagged and publicly reported. Emergency procurement dashboards must provide timely and accessible information. Parliamentary focal persons must be designated, while the promised implementation matrix must clearly assign responsibilities and deadlines.

National parliaments must also translate the regional commitments into concrete legislative, budgetary and oversight measures.

If fully implemented, the action plan could equip parliamentarians to follow climate funding from allocation to community impact, detect possible abuses during emergencies and promote coordinated responses to shared climate and water risks.

The communiqué’s central message is clear: effective parliamentary action, regional cooperation and accountable governance are essential to building a climate-resilient, water-secure and peaceful Eastern Africa.