African Climate Negotiators Press for Finance, Just Transition, and Unified Leadership Ahead of Second Africa Climate Summit

Addis Ababa, September 2, 2025 (FMC) — African climate negotiators meeting in Addis Ababa ahead of the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) have called for urgent action on climate finance, a fair and just transition, and stronger political leadership to confront the continent’s escalating climate vulnerabilities.

Princess Abze Djigma, Coordinator of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), emphasized that climate action must be rooted in concrete implementation. She highlighted Africa’s vast resource wealth, including trillions of dollars’ worth of critical minerals, stressing that such assets must be effectively managed to drive sustainable development.

“Our role is to ensure that just transition is not just a word, but about making development sustainable, fair, and equitable for every single person,” she said, adding that affordable financing is vital for African nations burdened by debt and recurring climate shocks such as droughts and floods.

Evans Davie Njewa, Chairperson of the LDC Group at the UN Climate, underscored that the Addis Ababa gathering is about more than dialogue, noting it must mobilize climate finance that directly benefits vulnerable communities. He described worsening climate impacts, including food insecurity and the destruction of infrastructure, as a “climate emergency” for Africa.

“This finance must be accessible, mostly in the form of grants, and must flow to the people in need,” Njewa said, stressing that climate action should also generate jobs, build resilience, and reduce poverty.

Angelina Tutuah Mensah, Negotiator on Response Measures, Gender and Climate Change, and Just Transition, urged that Africa’s specific priorities be fully integrated into global climate action. She cautioned against the imposition of unsafe technologies on the continent and underlined the need for capacity-building tailored to African realities.

“Our contribution to emissions is negligible. And therefore, if we need to make certain sacrifices, then we have to be compensated in various ways, including through finance,” Mensah said, while urging African Union leaders to elevate climate change to the top of their agenda and coordinate a unified approach.

Mensur Dessie, Climate Institutional Development Advisor at Ethiopia’s Ministry of Planning and Development, stressed that Africa must raise a bold and united voice in the global climate arena. While acknowledging progress since the Paris Agreement, he said outcomes remain far below the level needed to match the scale of the crisis, with Africa still falling short of the international support promised.

The pre-summit meeting, running from September 5–7 in Addis Ababa, will feed into the Second Africa Climate Summit, scheduled for September 8–10. Co-hosted by the Government of Ethiopia and the African Union Commission, the Summit will convene under the theme *“Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development.”