ABUJA, Nigeria — Nigeria is strengthening its climate negotiation capacity ahead of COP31 in Türkiye through a technical workshop aimed at building a more coordinated, inclusive and strategic approach to international climate negotiations.
The workshop is being organised by Perspectives Climate Group, the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) and Power Shift Africa, with funding from the UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions).
The initiative is designed to strengthen Nigeria’s strategic positioning ahead of COP31, scheduled to take place in Türkiye in November.
A key outcome of the workshop will be the launch of a structured mentorship programme bringing together experienced climate negotiation mentors and mentees.
The programme is expected to facilitate the transfer of procedural knowledge and practical negotiating experience while building confidence, strengthening thematic expertise and promoting active coordination and inclusive leadership within Nigeria’s climate negotiation processes.
Focus on climate finance and negotiation priorities
The workshop seeks to build a shared understanding of the outcomes of the 64th session of the Subsidiary Bodies of the UNFCCC (SB64) across four priority areas.
Climate finance will feature as a cross-cutting issue, with participants expected to deepen their understanding of developments in climate finance and how they influence negotiations across different thematic areas.
Participants will also examine the positions of the Chair of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) and assess how Nigeria’s interests and negotiating priorities align with the broader African position.
The discussions are expected to help identify initial elements of Nigeria’s potential COP31 positions, which will be further refined in October ahead of the conference.
Building practical negotiation skills
Beyond policy discussions, the workshop is focused on strengthening practical negotiation skills, particularly participants’ ability to analyse and engage with negotiation texts.
Organisers say improving these skills is critical to enabling Nigerian negotiators to participate more effectively in complex multilateral climate negotiations and advance national and African priorities.
The workshop will also address Gender, Equality, Diversity and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), with participants exploring ways to mainstream these principles across climate negotiations, national delegations and the new mentorship programme.
The mentorship component is expected to provide an avenue for knowledge transfer between experienced negotiators and emerging practitioners, helping to strengthen continuity and institutional memory within Nigeria’s climate diplomacy.
As Nigeria prepares for COP31, the initiative highlights the growing importance of technical expertise, strategic coordination and inclusive participation in advancing national priorities within the global climate negotiations.
Source: www.climatewatchonline.com
