Silverio Omari
African leaders convened for the second meeting of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) to confront the escalating climate crisis. The session, hosted by Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto alongside the United Nations General Assembly, aimed to refine Africa’s strategy for the upcoming COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, and to spotlight the continent’s ambitious climate agenda.
In his opening address, President Ruto reaffirmed Africa’s pivotal role in driving climate-positive growth, referencing the Nairobi Declaration as a transformative framework. Endorsed by the African Union (AU), the Declaration positions Africa as a global leader in sustainable development, integrating economic progress with climate resilience.
“Africa stands at a crossroads,” President Ruto noted. “Although we are disproportionately impacted by climate change, we possess the resources and potential to fuel global green growth.”
He stressed the urgency for strategic investments, highlighting Africa’s climate challenges, such as prolonged droughts in Southern Africa, catastrophic floods in the Sahel and West Africa, and desertification across North Africa.
Ruto also introduced the African Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII), a collaborative platform designed to attract significant investments for large-scale green industrial and infrastructure projects. This initiative unites African leaders, international financial institutions, industries, and philanthropic sectors in transitioning the continent to a low-carbon, climate-resilient economy.
“Investments in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and nature-based solutions are essential for Africa to not only adapt to climate change but thrive in a new global economic order,” Ruto emphasized.
Despite global investment in energy transition reaching a record $1.8 trillion in 2023, Africa received less than 3% of that sum. With a growing population and widespread energy poverty, Ruto called for immediate action to rectify this imbalance.
The Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA), launched at COP28, seeks to mobilize capital, technical expertise, and private-sector participation to boost Africa’s renewable energy capacity.
Ruto also announced that Nairobi would host a landmark Investment Forum next month, in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), to showcase Africa’s vast renewable energy potential and mineral wealth.
“Africa captured only 0.6% of the 473 GW of new global renewable energy capacity in 2023. This glaring disparity must be addressed,” Ruto stated.
In a broader reform push, Ruto revealed he had requested the incoming COP29 Presidency to organize a high-level political event titled “Measuring the Green Wealth of Nations: Natural Capital and Economic Productivity in Africa.” This initiative, led by Congo Basin countries and the African Development Bank, aims to redefine GDP by incorporating natural capital for a more accurate assessment of national wealth.
Ruto also commended the African Union Commission’s decision to establish a new Secretariat for the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change, which will coordinate climate initiatives, streamline governance, and bolster Africa’s global climate negotiating power.
As Africa faces some of the most severe climate challenges globally, President Ruto and fellow African leaders are united in advancing a shared vision for a sustainable future.
Dj Vnyash
