Africa's First Centralized Review of Biennial Transparency Reports
Africa's First Centralized Review of Biennial Transparency Reports
UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre and CBIT-GSP join partners to support four African countries through a pioneering centralized review of their climate reports
The UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre, through the Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency – Global Transparency Support Programme (CBIT-GSP), is contributing to a landmark step in Africa's climate transparency journey: the first centralized Technical Expert Review of Biennial Transparency Reports (BTRs) of Least Developed Countries in Africa under the Paris Agreement's Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF).
As part of the biennial reporting cycle under the ETF, countries’ submitted BTRs are to undergo a Technical Expert Review (TER). The TER process supports countries in enhancing their understanding with the Modalities, Procedures and Guidelines, enhancing their reporting in the subsequent BTR cycles, and helping them identify capacity-building gaps. In short, the TER process is a crucial step in improving climate transparency, a key principle of the Paris Agreement.
The TER can be conducted in different formats such as in-country, centralized, desk review and simplified review. To date, more than 50 TERs of countries’ first BTRs have been conducted, most of them as in-country reviews taking place in the country whose BTR is under review. Given the capacity constraints of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), they can choose to collectively participate in a centralized review where one single expert review team will review the BTRs of several countries in one go.
Now the first such centralized review is being organized for the BTRs of Burkina Faso, Malawi, Niger and Rwanda, taking place from 11–16 May 2026 in Kigali. This review is hosted by the Government of Rwanda through the Rwanda Environment Management Authority and organized in collaboration with the UNFCCC Secretariat.
Review and capacity building combined
A unique feature of this centralized review is the combination of the TER process with capacity-building of the participating country teams. The CBIT-GSP which is implemented by UNEP and executed by the UNEP Copenhagen Climate Centre, contributes technically to this component by facilitating a hands-on training to consolidate the insights and discussions from the review and provide practical exercises on the ETF Reporting Tools. This will maximize peer-learning and enhance the overall usefulness and capacity-building impact of this centralized review.
CBIT-GSP is joined by UNEP, the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Office of the LDC Group Chair as key partners in this centralized review. CBIT-GSP is proud to partner in this crucial initiative which will provide important learnings and serve as model for future centralized reviews with other LDCs and SIDS around the globe.
“We are genuinely proud to stand alongside Rwanda, the UNFCCC secretariat and our partners in making this milestone possible. This centralized group review represents a smart evolution in how we implement the Enhanced Transparency Framework — practical, collaborative, and transforming a formal review process into a powerful peer-learning experience. Through the CBIT-GSP, we are supporting the back-to-back training taking place alongside the review week. By bringing expert review and hands-on training together, we are helping national teams not simply prepare a single report, but build the lasting confidence, and technical skills they will carry into every future reporting cycle. This is the kind of partnership-driven innovation that ensures African LDCs are not only participating in the ETF but actively shaping its effective implementation.” Khetsiwe Khumalo, Global Manager of CBIT-GSP and Senior Advisor at UNEP-CCC
Sheila Kiconco, the CBIT-GSP Anglophone Africa Transparency Network Coordinator, will also participate in this centralized review in her capacity as Technical Expert Reviewer under the UNFCCC, focusing on the “Policies, Action and Measures” section of the BTRs under review.
“Participating in the upcoming Centralized Technical Expert Review (TER) presents a valuable opportunity to share best practices and technical solutions across different country contexts. The Centralized Technical Expert Review offers a platform for countries to build mutual confidence, generate actionable insights, exchange knowledge, and contribute to this transparency effort together. I’m excited to be part of this process, which helps countries improve their climate reporting and confidently show their commitment over time. I truly look forward to joining this collaborative effort that promotes global trust and accountability.”
This review reflects UNEP's broader commitment to supporting developing countries in meeting their transparency obligations under the Paris Agreement.
