Spotlight

Othniel Yila PhD, is a climate finance practitioner and development professional with interdisciplinary skillsets and a global reach. He is presently the Commonwealth National Climate Finance Adviser for Uganda, where he provides strategic and technical guidance to the Government of Uganda to enhance and strengthen the country’s institutional processes and structures to seek, receive and utilize climate finance.  He previously served in the same capacity in Zambia and the Kingdom of Tonga.

Othniel PhD, has brought a remarkable record of achievement in mobilizing over USD 142 million in climate finance in the last seven years. He has contributed in supporting the accreditation of many entities as Delivery Partners (DP) or Direct Accredited Entities (DAE) to the Green Climate Fund.  

Under the NDC Partnership’s Climate Action Enhancement Package (CAEP) initiative, Othniel delivered targeted support for the enhancement and implementation of NDC in Zambia. Climate finance being a crucial aspect in achieving the ambitious NDC targets, Othniel delivered two landmark climate finance related knowledge deliverable; Climate Finance Mapping for NDC Implementation in Zambia, and the Monitoring, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of Climate Finance for Zambia. These works have generated considerable interest in the aspect of enhancing access to finance for NDC implementation as well serving as a comprehensive knowledge base for stakeholders and systems required for financing climate action. 

Othniel PhD, has over 25 years’ experience working across sectors on a wide range of climate change, environment, and sustainable development issues and has held full-time positions in nine countries namely; Uganda, Belgium, Zambia, Tonga, Kenya, Tanzania, Fiji, Thailand and Nigeria in inter-governmental organizations, policy research think tanks, academia, NGOs, government and international non-profit organizations.

Othniel PhD, has in-depth knowledge and experience of the landscape of adaptation and mitigation under the UNFCCC. He has contributed towards the evolution of the main instruments for supporting countries on adaptation, such as the national adaptation plans. He has also contributed towards the development of technical tools and methodologies, and the capacity-building of the SIDS and LDCs to effectively lay the foundation for and implement adaptation and mitigation actions.

Othniel PhD, is one of the three experts who undertook the “Scoping and design of a Commonwealth Climate Finance Skills Hub and Response Mechanism” work for the Commonwealth Secretariat, the report which was endorsed by the Commonwealth Head of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November 2015 in Malta that led to the establishment in 2016 of the Commonwealth Climate Finance Access Hub (CCFAH). In 2015, Othniel also led the Agriculture, Food Security and Nutrition sector component on the UNEP Expert Group on Operationalization of the Green Economy transition in Africa. In 2016, Othniel authored an FAO-funded landmark work “Investment strategies for Agroecology & Ecological Organic Agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa”.

Othniel PhD, also co-authored a UNISDR landmark work on “Community resilience against natural hazards: case studies from the Pacific Islands in “The State of DRR at the Local Level” A 2015 Report on the Patterns of Disaster Risk Reduction Actions at Local Level”. Othniel has brought a deep understanding of what it takes to combat the worst effects of climate change and advance adaptation planning and mitigation in SIDS and LDCs, both practically and diplomatically. His passionate work in many SIDS and LDCs has helped to build resilience among the most vulnerable people. His research has contributed to a policy recommendation on the role of climate resilient projects in poverty alleviation in the South Pacific and Sub-Saharan Africa. He has published journal articles, book chapters and other publications in the area of climate change, green growth, climate finance, NDC, and livelihoods.

Othniel PhD, has led, managed the development of M&E tools and systems to enable donors and programs to better capture change. Othniel has developed and delivered training on technical issues such as value for money and theory of change in a number of developing countries. Othniel has adequate competency to monitor and evaluate environment and development projects and initiatives for impact. He relates very well with colleagues and drives for teamwork success. Othniel has the ability to manage human and financial resources for effective programme delivery and been a technical adviser on numerous large, multi-country, donor-funded initiatives across the South Pacific, Africa and Southeast Asia. He is an expert in the evaluation and measurement of complex change such as around empowerment and accountability.

Othniel holds a PhD in Regional and Rural Development Planning from the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Klong Luang, Thailand. A Master’s in Rural Development and Bachelors degree in Geography from Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria, Nigeria respectively.