ADDIS ABABA – African leaders vowed on Monday to present a global model for tackling the climate crisis, using green investments as both a survival necessity and an opportunity, as they convened for the continent’s second climate summit in Ethiopia.
Meeting ahead of the pivotal COP30 talks in Brazil, leaders emphasized the need for Africa’s 54 nations to speak with a united voice. “We are not here to negotiate our survival. We are here to design the world’s next climate economy,” said Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in his opening address, urging the creation of an Africa-led climate innovation initiative. The plan envisions 1,000 new solutions by 2030, developed through collaboration among universities, startups, rural communities and scientists.
Abiy also pledged that Africa could be the first continent to industrialize without devastating its ecosystems, calling for investments in renewable energy, carbon capture, food security, and critical minerals used in green technology. He further positioned Ethiopia as a candidate to host COP32 in 2027.
At the inaugural Nairobi summit two years ago, leaders pressed for climate finance, but Africa still receives only about 1% of annual global funding, despite being one of the regions most vulnerable to climate disasters and one of the least responsible for rising emissions. Officials reiterated demands for fairer financing to support adaptation and clean energy projects.
“Climate finance must be fair, significant and predictable,” said Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, chair of the African Union Commission, stressing that climate justice must address debt burdens and systemic inequalities in the global financial system.
Concerns were also raised about the weakening of multilateral cooperation following U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration withdrawing from the Paris climate agreement this year and retreating from renewable partnerships with African countries. “Too often commitments are broken precisely when the scale of the crisis demands enhanced cooperation, not less,” said Kenyan President William Ruto.