Ruto urges African leaders to push for equitable climate funds at UN conference

President William Ruto has urged African leaders to present a united stance at the upcoming United Nations climate change conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan.

He called for the need for Africa to push for a fair and effective climate financing mechanism that adequately addresses the continent's needs.

Speaking during an Extraordinary Meeting of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) on the sidelines of the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, President Ruto, who chairs CAHOSCC, stressed the importance of aligning Africa’s agenda ahead of COP29.

“Today, we are aligning our position for the COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November. This meeting serves as a strategic step in our preparations,” he said.

He noted that a key agenda for Africa at the conference would be advocating for a substantial increase in global investment for energy transition.

Currently, Africa only receives three per cent of global investment for energy transition, which Ruto said is insufficient to support the continent’s climate adaptation efforts.

The meeting was attended by African Union Commission Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat and Mauritania’s President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, who also chairs the African Union.

President Ruto outlined the importance of meaningful investments in Africa’s renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, green transport and nature-based solutions, saying these would not only ensure Africa's climate resilience but also benefit the global community.

“These investments will enable low carbon, climate-resilient development, not only for Africa but also for the global community,” he said.

In addition, Ruto called on African leaders to continue advocating for debt sustainability and the reform of the international financial system to promote climate justice. He emphasised that Africa’s ability to invest in green resilience is constrained by climate-related shocks, high debt servicing, and costly refinancing due to high interest rates and credit downgrades.

“As climate-related shocks become more frequent and severe, coupled with high debt servicing, government spending on green resilience is constrained,” Ruto said.

Earlier, President Ruto chaired the inaugural Steering Committee Meeting of the African Green Industrialisation Initiative (AGII), a platform that aims to unlock investments for large-scale, green industrial and infrastructure projects across Africa.

“This initiative is focused on unlocking investments for large-scale, high-impact green industrial and infrastructure projects, and aligns value chains across the continent,” he explained.

The President further noted that the initiative would drive economic transformation across Africa through collaboration in green industrialisation.

While echoing Ruto’s sentiments, AUC Chairperson Moussa Faki Mahamat stressed the need for African leaders to present a united front at COP29.

He highlighted that the CAHOSCC meeting demonstrated Africa’s commitment to addressing climate change, which poses a significant threat to the continent’s economic growth.

“As a result of climate change, some African States have experienced GDP losses of up to 5%, demonstrating the severity of the climate crisis,” Faki added.

President Mohamed Ould Ghazouani also reinforced the message, noting that African leaders must continue to champion climate action on the global stage to ensure sustainable growth for the continent.