President William Ruto challenged the international community to step up contributions in climate change adaptation and mitigation to complement Africa’s efforts.
The President said Africa is taking bold approaches to climate action by adopting climate positive growth, positioning the continent as a source of solutions rather than a victim.
He said the Nairobi Declaration adopted at the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in September 2023 demonstrated Africa’s commitment to climate action as a driver of economic growth, transformation and job creation, and not a burden.
He pointed out that the international community has both the responsibility and the self-interest to support this initiative, ensuring a win-win outcome for all humanity.
“Success will depend on both sides: Africa delivering at home, and the global system opening space where Africa’s climate, business, and development goals converge,” he said.
He made the remarks during the opening session of the Second Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Monday.
He told the meeting that isolation is not a winning strategy in combating climate change; instead “it is courting failure”.
“Acting alone,” Ruto said, “we will squander time, waste resources, and forfeit the future.”
Calling for global action, Ruto said the international system must dismantle the structural barriers that continue to hold the continent back.
He called for lower cost of financing by reforming the global financial institutions, expansion of concessional funds, mobilisation of private investment at scale, integration of climate into lending, and tackling currency and debt risks.
“It means reforming trade and subsidy regimes and opening global markets to Africa’s value-added goods and solutions, from climate-smart agriculture and green industrial products to carbon credits,” he said.
He warned against giving in to the temptation of narrow self-interest, transactional partnerships and short-term gains that undermine the progress of global cooperation.
“Too often, commitments are broken and international solidarity is dismissed as weakness, precisely when the scale of the climate crisis demands enhanced cooperation, not less,” he said.
Ruto urged African States to remain steadfast in building a modern, green and inclusive industrial base.
He explained that this would secure Africa’s rightful place in the global economy and foster the solidarity needed to confront climate change.
During the event, Ruto launched “Africa’s Journey of Climate Action and Partnership” report.
The report points out that Africa’s climate summits are not stand-alone events, but part of a journey towards a climate-safe future.
“This journey also includes our global partners, who must be accountable not only to us, but also to the future of humanity,” he said.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called on African States to take the lead on green growth and power their industries with clean energy.
“If we make the right choices now, Africa can be the first continent to industrialise without destroying its ecosystems,” he said.
The prime minister emphasised that Africa must stand not as a block of negotiators, but as a block of solutions ahead of COP 30.
“Africa did not cause this crisis, yet Africa can lead in solving it,” he said.
In the same spirit, Mr Ahmed said Ethiopia will be presenting a proposal to host COP32 in 2027.
African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf called on African countries to use the summit as a platform to take a firm stand on climate financing.
He noted that climate change, the debt burden and structural inequalities in the international financial architecture must be addressed through climate justice.
“The African Union firmly believes that climate financing must be fair, significant and predictable,” he said.
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