Africa Climate Summit Kicks Off in Ethiopia

(MENAFN) The Second Africa Climate Summit launched Monday in Ethiopia’s capital with a decisive call for tangible action over empty promises, as leaders shifted the narrative from Africa as a climate crisis victim to a force shaping the future of the global green economy.

Opening the high-stakes meeting, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called for a pivot away from traditional aid toward investment-led development.

“Too often, Africa’s story at climate summits begins with what we lack: finance, technology, (and) time. Let us begin instead with what we have,” Abiy declared.

Citing the continent’s young population, abundant farmland, and the world’s most rapidly expanding solar belt, Abiy positioned Africa as an emerging climate leader. He pointed to Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative—which has planted over 48 billion trees—and the soon-to-be-operational Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, expected to generate 5,000 megawatts of renewable energy.

“We are not here to negotiate our survival. We are here to design the world’s next climate economy,” he said. “When Africa’s land heals, when our rivers run clean, and our air is fresh, Africa wins.”

Abiy also proposed a sweeping African Climate Innovation Compact, seeking $50 billion annually to implement 1,000 homegrown climate solutions by 2030 across sectors including energy, agriculture, and water resilience. He formally submitted Ethiopia’s bid to host COP32 in 2027, positioning Addis Ababa as a future hub for African climate leadership.

Chair of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, underscored the need for equity in the global climate finance landscape.

“The African Union Commission firmly believes that climate finance must be fair, significant, and predictable,” Youssouf stated.

“The vulnerability of our member countries, exacerbated by climate change, debt burdens, and structural inequalities in the global financial system, must be addressed through climate justice and genuine cooperation.”

Kenyan President William Ruto, who led last year’s inaugural summit in Nairobi, commended Ethiopia for advancing the continent-wide agenda.

“No nation can solve this crisis alone. Only bold, united, and sustained collaboration can avert climate catastrophe,” Ruto said.

The three-day summit, themed “Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development,” features high-level discussions and symbolic events, including a tree-planting ceremony at the Addis Ababa International Convention Center, where African leaders reaffirmed unity and pledged renewed efforts to restore ecosystems.

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