African Leaders Call for Equitable Climate Finance...

African Leaders Call for Equitable Climate Finance at Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa

Audrey Galawu- Assistant Editor

The second Africa Climate Summit officially opened yesterday in Ethiopia’s capital, with leaders emphasising Africa’s determination to play a central role in shaping global climate solutions.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed delivered the inaugural keynote, declaring the summit open and outlining Ethiopia’s vision for regional leadership in the energy transition.

He highlighted the country’s “Green Legacy” reforestation program and the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam as examples of climate action already underway.

“Ethiopia’s Green Legacy has cooled our land and restored our soil; the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is powering a clean, shared future and driving Pan-African integration,” Ahmed said.

“As COP30 approaches, Africa must stand not as a bloc of negotiators but as a continent of solutions. We call for real investment, not charity.”

He also formally presented Ethiopia’s bid to host COP32 in 2027 and announced a proposal to establish the Africa Climate Innovation Compact, designed to produce 1,000 innovators by 2033, financed and owned by Africans in partnership with global allies.

African Union Commission chairperson Mahamoud Ali Youssouf followed with a keynote address stressing the urgent need for equitable climate finance.

“Climate finance must be fair, significant, and predictable,” Youssouf said.

“This summit is our moment to reaffirm Africa’s clear stance: global obligations are shared, yet responsibilities remain differentiated.

"COP23The vulnerability of our member states, driven by climate impacts, debt burdens, and structural inequalities, demands climate justice and genuine cooperation.”

He underlined that without sustained financial support, technology transfer, and expertise, Africa’s adaptation plans risk remaining unfulfilled.

The summit, hosted by Ethiopia in partnership with the African Union Commission, runs from September 8–10 at the Addis International Convention Center under the theme: “Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development.”