The Post-Cancun African Civil Society Workshop The UNFCCC meeting in Cancun (COP16) resulted in the "Cancun Agreement" where the poor and developing countries lost on almost al their demands and paved way for the shifting of the industrialised countries from the Kyoto Protocal and its binding regime of emission reduction commitments to a voluntary system in which developed countries only makes pledges on how much they will reduce their emissions. The Cancun agreement reflect many provisions of the non-binding Copenhagen Accord, which resulted form the failed Copenhagen Summit. As a result, the African Civil Society has been in the forefront of global advocacy to reject the Copenhagen Accord, precisely because it puts Kyoto regime at risk and shifts the burden of mitigation and adaptation to the poor, putting the lives and livelihoods of millions of Africans at risk. The two agreements are not legally binding and negotiations on a legally binding outcomes are still going on and may be reached during the COP17 in Darban, South Africa in December 2011.

Thus, the year 2011 will be a very important year for the African Civil Society as the continent will be hosting the third COP, after, COP3 in Marakech, Morocco and the 2006 COP12 in Nairobi Kenya. Symbolically, as the most vulnenable region which relies solely on rain-fed agriculture to drive its development agenda, Africa has yet another opportunity to showcase the vagaries of climate change first-hand and plead with industrialized countries that climate change is a matter of survival and through massive mobilization, the African Civil Society stands a better change of passing on this message of hope and desparation.

In this regard, PACJA has organised a Post-Cancun workshop in order to identify the gaps and discuss steps needed for further action for the year 2011. The workshop will be able to chart a short-term, medium term and longer-term strategy which helps with the messaging and ations in different geographical regions and sectors in Africa, as well as national and community levels. Participants will be able to share their experiences, challenges and their views on how to chart the common course for the continent of Africa.  The workshop objectives include:
1. To interrogate the overall African performance in COP15 and COP16, their outcomes and implication for Africa in the short and long-term.
2. To examine the overall UNFCCC process, Africa's challenges and achievements and how the lessons can be used to inform future engagements.
3. To assess the effectiveness and practicability of Africa's common position and institution unde the "one Africa, one voice, one position" banner (CAHOSOCC, AMCEN, African Group etc), whether a legally binding agreement is still possible in Durban, and what Africa should lobby for.
4. To explore and deliberate on converging areas of lobbying, advocacy and mobilization at international level among non-state actors and government negotiators.
5. To identity and define the action agenda for different stakeholders -policy makers (parliamentarians), civil society, government negotiators, regional economic blocks and leaders to build a strong and unified voice for Africa ahead of COP17 in Darban.

This proposal is to request for support to enable CAFOD East Africa Regional Office to send 3 representatives from 3 CAFOD partners in Kenya, Tanzania and Ugandqa including Caritas Tanzania, Caritas Kenya and the Diocese of Moroto in Uganda.