From newcomer to contributor
When Lucia Agatiba Agbango attended her first PATPA event in 2024, she was still new to her role as Assistant Programme Officer at Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency. “I had very little knowledge,” Lucia recalls. “During the peer-to-peer learning sessions, people would come and say, ‘Ghana has advanced a lot in transparency – can you share your experiences?’ At the time, I felt I did not have much to contribute.”
Just over a year later, her perspective has changed significantly. Through PATPA’s regional workshops and exchange formats, Lucia has gained the knowledge and confidence to actively support Ghana’s transparency efforts. “PATPA has helped me a lot to build my capacity,” she says. “Now I have the expertise my unit needs and can contribute strongly to national reports and processes.”
One of the most valuable learning experiences for Lucia was gaining a better understanding of the Common Tabular Formats (CTFs) used under the Enhanced Transparency Framework of the Paris Agreement. What initially seemed highly technical became much more accessible through PATPA’s practical training approach. “Before, I had very little knowledge of the CTF tables,” she explains. “Through PATPA’s workshops, I learned what they contain and how they are used. They break down complex reporting requirements into something people can actually understand.”
“At some global events, it feels like everyone is already an expert,”
This practical and inclusive approach is what Lucia values most about PATPA. While she has also participated in global exchange formats, she believes the regional workshops offer a particularly supportive learning environment. “At some global events, it feels like everyone is already an expert,” she says. “PATPA makes sure that everyone is carried along, regardless of where they are in their learning journey.”
The workshops also create opportunities for countries to learn from one another. Lucia highlights the openness with which participants share experiences, challenges and lessons learned. “You can raise a question and countries that have already completed certain processes are willing to explain what worked, what did not work, and what they learned along the way,” she says.
“I am able to contribute as well, and that helps strengthen our national processes.”
The benefits extend beyond individual participants. As Lucia’s expertise has grown, so has her ability to support Ghana’s reporting efforts. “Now it is no longer just one or two experts dealing with reporting,” she explains. “I am able to contribute as well, and that helps strengthen our national processes.”
Looking back, Lucia sees PATPA not only as a platform for technical learning, but also as a community that recognises countries’ different capacities and needs. “I would encourage other countries to get fully involved when they participate in PATPA events,” she says. “The knowledge you gain can be taken back to your institution and applied in your daily work. PATPA is helping countries build the expertise they need, and I think that is something very valuable.”