ACCESS Coalition organized a workshop in Accra to equip CSOs with strategies for influencing multilateral development banks regarding renewable energy and climate financing.

The World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB) have outlined extensive frameworks for involving CSOs in their activities.

These frameworks play a critical role in fortifying CSOs' engagement with the banks, ultimately enhancing their programs, policy documents, and CSO participation in the development outcomes of Regional Members Countries (RMCs).

The AfDB's CSO Engagement Framework, aligned with its medium-term strategy, aims to better integrate African citizens' aspirations into its operations.

Conversely, the World Bank Group actively collaborates with civil society organizations (CSOs) worldwide, focusing on addressing vital areas such as poverty, inequality, climate change, gender, and more.

During the event, the Executive Coordinator of the Strategic Youth Network for Development (SYND) educated participants on effective approaches to engage with banks.

Eziekel Chibeze emphasized the necessity for stronger collective positioning by CSOs to secure grants since banks face challenges in supervising small amounts.

Also present at the event was the SYND’s Head of the Energy Access Programme, Priscilla Ahiada, who lamented the inadequate data available to support CSOs' work.

Despite the enactment of the Right to Information (RTI) Act, she highlighted that restricting information empowers public actors to deny CSOs access to vital data necessary for their work, particularly concerning transparency and accountability.

She emphasized that the government should provide comprehensive data, as CSOs often rely on research for their activities.

Furthermore, she stressed that CSOs, in their watchdog role, require access to the right information to effectively contribute to nation-building and project monitoring, including those funded by donors.

She advised CSOs to define their areas of operation and collaborate to strengthen their efforts.

"CSOs need to build their capacity and understand how the system works to relate and operate effectively. There is also a need to show interest in events around us. Interest will enable us to follow conversations, policies, or projects being implemented. All of these will inform decisions and provide a voice on matters concerning our areas of operation," she concluded.

SYND is the ACCESS Coalition's West Africa Regional lead.