BONN, Germany (PAMACC News) - African and Small Island Developing countries made their presence readily felt at the ongoing climate talks in Bonn-Germany. Observers, civil society actors, researchers and negotiators from these countries all at different instances underlined the need for the 10-day international conference to advance substantive progress on the rules and processes that will fully drive operational the Paris Agreement.

According to experts, the sessions mark the half-way point to the finalization of the Paris Agreement that will be decided at COP 23 in Bonn.

“This climate session is very important for Africa and Small Island developing countries, reason why they are taking active part in setting the rules,” says Augustine Njamnshi of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance, PACJA.

They have also been taking active part in the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) and the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Paris Agreement (APA) different sessions in Bonn on the “Rule Book”.

 According to these experts the focus of the Bonn Climate Change Talks is to further the implementation of the Paris Agreement by drafting the so-called “rulebook” to guide its implementation.

Application of the ‘rulebook’ will require decisions on the transparency reporting guidelines, accounting, cooperative approaches of both market and non-market natures, nationally determined contributions (NDCs), and their means of implementation which include the provision and reporting of finance provided and received, technology development and transfer and capacity building.

The standing issues on the SBSTA and SBI agendas are also being considered which include issues related to adaptation, mitigation, agriculture, land use change and forestry and response measures.

Multiple side events were also organized by different organizations to showcase collaboration as part of a consortium to provide advice on the development of the transparency framework under the Paris Agreement.

The Bonn Climate Change Talks which commenced on Monday 8 May and will conclude on Thursday 18 May. The talks are expected to set the stage for the 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP 23) which will be convened in Bonn in November.

COP 23 will be held under the Presidency of Fiji and will mark the first occasion in which a Small Island Developing State (SIDS) holds the Presidency of the COP.