AFRICA CLAIMS ITS PLACE IN GLOBAL CLIMATE LEADERSHIP WITH MULTI-BILLION- DOLLAR COMMITMENTS TO FINANCE LOCALLY-LED CLIMATE SOLUTIONS

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Sep 14, 2025

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The Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) concluded with a clear call to position Africa, not as a victim of climate change, but as a driver of solutions and the next global climate economy. ACS2 was convened by the African Union Commission (AUC) and hosted by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, in Addis Ababa, under the theme: “Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa's Resilient and Green Development”.

At the end of the three-day summit 8-10 September 2025, the leaders adopted the African Leaders’ Addis Ababa Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action, heralding a historic moment that puts Africa at the forefront of global climate action.

As read by H.E. Moses Vilakati, Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE) at the African Union Commission, the Leaders Declaration called for "strengthened and sustained support to scale up the implementation of African-led climate initiatives, including the AU Climate Change and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022 -2032).

Furthermore, the African leaders and partners of Africa pledged financial and innovative commitments to the continent for the implementation of African-led solutions, including:

● The Africa Climate Innovation Compact (ACIC) and the African Climate Facility (ACF), committing to mobilize $50 billion annually in catalytic finance to champion climate solutions that accelerate innovation and scale local climate solutions across the continent. The Compact aims to deliver 1,000 African solutions to tackle climate challenges in energy, agriculture, water, transport, and resilience by 2030.
● Putting a mechanism / legal obligation of adaptation finance from the developed countries. Africa stressed that adaptation finance must be delivered in the form of grants, not loans that worsen already fragile debt burdens.

● Heads of State and Government spoke with one voice in demanding urgent reform of multilateral financial institutions to lower borrowing costs and expand African representation in global financial governance.
● The Government of Denmark announced $79 million to support the agricultural transformation in the Continent.
● The Government of Italy reaffirmed its commitment to its pledge of $4.2 billion to the Italian Climate Fund, devoting about 70% of this to Africa. It signed an MoU with Ethiopia so as to benefit from this initiative.
● Leaders further called for Africa’s share of global renewable energy investments to rise from a meagre 2% today to at least 20% by 2030, a shift that would finally reflect the continent’s potential as a renewable energy powerhouse.
● At the Summit, they advocated for putting the Africa Green Minerals Strategy into action. This blueprint aims to make sure that Africa's green and critical minerals drive not only global clean energy supply chains, but also local economic growth, job creation, and industrial development.
● Leaders pledged to establish dedicated financial mechanisms for addressing climate-related health threats, from deadly heatwaves to the spread of vector- borne diseases.
● Leaders also called for support for the AU Climate Action Innovation Hub, which showcases different climate innovation solutions from the African Youth and Women, advancing the critical role of the youth and women in addressing climate change.
● ACS2 has also marked the official launch of the newly developed Africa Just Resilience Framework (JRF), which will work alongside the Climate Justice Impact Fund for Africa (CJIFA) to provide a framework and funding for local climate initiatives. CJIFA has already dispersed 64 grants in 17 African countries.
● The Declaration also calls for the implementation of the Africa Action Plan on Carbon Markets (AAPCM) to enable AU member states to fully participate in Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, thereby harnessing the continent’s strategic potential to benefit from carbon markets while ensuring integrity, transparency, credibility, and inclusivity.

In his closing remarks, delivered on his behalf by H.E. Amb. Bankole Adeoye, Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security (PAPS), African Union Commission, H.E. Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC), underscored that the continent has moved the conversation from crisis to opportunity, from aid to investment, and from external prescription to African-led

innovation. “We have embraced the powerful truth Africa is not a passive recipient of climate solutions, but the actor and architect of these solutions”, he emphasized.

“We sent a clear and united message ahead of COP30: Africa’s climate finance demands are not charity appeals. It is a call for equity, for justice, and shared global responsibility. We reaffirmed carbon markets as a tool for sustainable development, not exploitation. These mechanisms must benefit African communities, not extract from them”.

President Taye Atske Selassie of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia officially closed the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2), praising the leaders and all participants for their dedication and successful involvement. “In Addis, we didn't just discuss the climate crisis – we've also paved the way for our shared future, on behalf of the Ethiopian government and people. This summit has cemented our continent’s role, not as a victim of a crisis it didn't create, but as a global hub for climate solutions, renewable energy, and green growth.”

“Our vision is clear: we are committed to forging a prosperous, resilient and green continent, and central to this vision is the urgent mission to unlock our vast renewable energy potential. It is an injustice that more than 600 million Africans still live without access to electricity on this continent. This is a huge energy generation and supply gap. Our climate action, therefore, should begin with massive investments in renewable energy and a call for climate justice.”, the President added.

More than 25,000 delegates, including heads of state and government, ministers, civil society representatives, development partners, private sector leaders, local community members, indigenous peoples, farmers, young people, and academics, came together during the summit to discuss and plan a path forward for their future and for generations to come.

A total of 23 Pavilions at the Addis International Convention Center (AICC) hosted interactive debates by thousands of participants from African countries, regional organisations, and development partners. Over 43 exhibitions by the privvte sector presented innovations and commitments for green growth and low-carbon development. Over 240 mandated and official side events focused largely on African-led climate solutions and explored new pathways.

For media enquiry:

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke |Communication and Media Officer| Information and Communication Directorate, African Union Commission | Email: MolaletT@africanunion.org

Mr. Mensur Dessie Nuri, Chair of the Communication and Media Committee, Ministry of Planning & Development, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia; Email: communications@africaclimatesummit2.et

For more information visit: https://africaclimatesummit2.et; https://au.int/en/newsevents/20250908/ second-africa-climate-summit

Opening press release: https://au.int/en/pressreleases/20250909/acs2-opens-addis-ababa-call-4-…- investment-african-led-solution

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Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (ARBE)

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Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy, and Sustainable Environment (ARBE)

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