Ethiopia proposes 2nd Africa Climate Summit in 2025 to chart the way forward in continent’s climate negotiations
Addis Ababa, February 16, 2025 (FMC) – State Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Mesganu Arga, earlier today addressed the meeting of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC). The meeting was chaired by the Coordinator of CAHOSCC and President of Kenya, William Ruto, on the margins 38th AU Summit here in Addis Ababa.
In his address Ambassador Mesganu thanked President Ruto for the status report. He said COP 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, fell short of securing adequate financing necessary to undertake environmental sustainability measures Earth needs especially in Africa and the rest of the developing world.
The urgency of climate crises demands immediate and decisive action that will deliver tangible results, he emphatically told participants. He underscored the fact that this requires identifying innovative financing mechanisms and demanding greater accountability from developed countries in meeting commitments.
Speaking about the African Climate Summit held in Nairobi in September 2023, the State Minister stated that the Summit heralded a pivotal moment in repositioning Africa’s vital role on the global stage and signals Africa’s collective commitment to addressing urgent and pressing challenges on climate change.
Ambassador Mesganu noted, African countries should be proactive and strategic in the pursuit of sustainable solutions in tackling the devastating environmental disasters that are a direct consequence of climate change.
In light of putting together a unified response, he pointed out Ethiopia’s proposal to convene the second Africa Climate Summit at the Headquarters of the African Union in 2025. The Summit will provide a crucial platform to chart the way forward in Africa’s climate negotiations and will allow countries to formulate and implement other appropriate measures needed to safeguard the Continent as well as ensure a sustainable future for posterity.
He concluded his intervention by reaffirming Ethiopia’s continued commitment to working closely with the Committee Members and other stakeholders to garner international support for a sustainable environment and climate-resilient future.