Africa’s leaders call for a united push to create the next ‘climate economy’

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🗞️ Driving the news: The Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) opened on September 8 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, with leaders and institutions launching a landmark framework to support the Africa Green Industrialization Initiative (AGII)
• Backed by the African Development Bank, Africa Finance Corporation, and KCB Group, the framework pledges over $100 billion to accelerate renewable-powered industries across the continent

🔭 The context: The summit positions Africa as a “continent of solutions” ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, this November
• AGII, first announced at COP28, aims to drive investments in green infrastructure and industrialization
• Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced Ethiopia’s bid to host COP32 in 2027, while Kenyan President William Ruto urged leaders to build on the Nairobi Declaration of 2023 and strengthen continental unity in global climate talks

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Africa’s united approach could reshape climate negotiations and accelerate the global green transition
• Mobilized funding enables renewable energy, green manufacturing, and resilience-building across African economies
• By proposing a continent-wide bargaining council and climate finance mechanism, African leaders seek stronger leverage in international negotiations
• New initiatives like the African Climate Innovation Compact aim to deliver 1,000 African climate solutions in energy, agriculture, and adaptation

⏭️ What’s next: Leaders will continue shaping Africa’s climate agenda in the run-up to COP30
• The African Union may push for a continental-wide climate finance system to increase negotiating power and ensure fairer global support
• If Ethiopia secures COP32, Africa could host two major climate summits in four years — cementing its role in setting the global green agenda

💬 One quote: “We are not here to negotiate our survival. We are here to design the world’s next climate economy.” — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed

📈 One stat: The Africa Green Industrialization Initiative aims to mobilize $100 billion+ for green industrial development across the continent

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