African Union Commission · Continental programme

Environmental monitoring for sustainable development.

Strengthening the use of environmental information for decision-making across Africa.

September 2010 – December 2012

Technical Assistance Team Leader
Thales Alenia Space France

Danilo Barbero standing at COP17 while managing the African Union Commission pavilion — At COP17 on climate change, managing the African Union Commission pavilion.

Base and scope: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Continental Africa
Institutional partner: African Union Commission
Funding: European Union
9th European Development Fund

01 / The assignment

Leading a continental programme.

Based in Addis Ababa, I led the technical assistance team supporting the African Union Commission in implementing the African Monitoring of Environment for Sustainable Development (AMESD) Programme. The programme was financed by the European Union under the 9th European Development Fund.

I was responsible for overall programme management and implementation of the EUR 9 million technical assistance contract. I led a team of seven senior international experts and several short-term experts, and supervised EUR 12 million in grants for thematic environmental projects in five African Regional Economic Communities.

Key responsibilities

Programme leadership. Managed the technical assistance contract, prepared continental and regional work plans, and supervised their implementation.
Institutional advice. Advised the African Union programme coordinator on implementation, legal frameworks for decision-making, environmental programming, biodiversity conservation, climate change and sustainable development initiatives.
Regional environmental monitoring. Supervised projects covering agriculture and crop management, land degradation, biodiversity conservation, water and fire management, and marine ecosystems.
Results-based management. Introduced and developed the programme's results-based management system, strengthened logical frameworks with SMART output indicators, and supported risk management.
Coordination and partnerships. Maintained communication and working links among the African Union Commission, the EU Delegation to the African Union, Regional Economic Communities, Regional Implementation Centres, national authorities and non-state actors.

From data to decisions

The assignment connected continental policy with practical monitoring services in Africa's regions. It combined programme management, institutional coordination and environmental information to support decisions on agriculture, land, biodiversity, water, fire and marine ecosystems.

02 / Continental cooperation

Documentary photographs.

Photographs from continental meetings and events organised through the AMESD Programme.

Danilo Barbero with the African Union Commission Director of Environment at a continental meeting — With the African Union Commission's Director of Environment at a continental meeting.

Danilo Barbero participating in an AMESD Programme meeting with the Ethiopian Mapping Agency — At a meeting organised by the AMESD Programme with the Ethiopian Mapping Agency.

Programme teams and partners

Members of the fifth AMESD Programme Steering Committee standing together — Members of the fifth AMESD Programme Steering Committee.

AMESD technical assistance team from Thales Alenia Space standing together — AMESD TA Thales Alenia Space Team.

03 / Expertise

Experience in practice.

Environmental monitoring
Continental programme management
Results-based management
Regional coordination
Biodiversity conservation
Climate change
Earth observation services

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