President Ruto Says Supporting Africa’s Climate Goals Serves Global Self-Interest

Addis Ababa, September 8, 2025 (FMC) — Kenyan President William Ruto called on African nations to view climate action not merely as a challenge but as a driver of economic growth and job creation.

Speaking at the opening of the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) in Addis Ababa, President Ruto emphasized the need for continental unity, warning that “isolation is not a winning strategy; it is causing failure.”

He recalled the transformative approach introduced at the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi, where the continent was framed “as a continent of opportunity and a source of solutions, not just a victim.” President Ruto praised the progress since then, highlighting Africa’s increasing influence in global climate discussions and the deployment of its solutions, from green infrastructure to climate-smart agriculture.

Stressing the importance of solidarity, the President noted, “Global interconnectedness is deepening, but so too is the temptation to retreat into narrow self-interest,” warning that broken commitments and ignored international solidarity undermine climate action. “The truth is undeniable. No nation can solve this crisis alone,” he added.

President Ruto outlined a dual approach to achieve “climate-positive growth”: African nations must exercise decisive agency, while the international system must remove structural barriers that hinder the continent’s progress.

He called for reforms to the global financial system to lower capital costs and mobilize private investment, asserting that supporting Africa’s climate goals is in the world’s self-interest.

“Our economies, our weather systems, and our very survival are interconnected,” he said. “We must focus on win-win solutions because they do exist… Africa will drive global climate action and shape a sustainable, prosperous future for us and for everyone.”