At the opening plenary of the first Africa Climate Summit currently ongoing at the International Conference Centre in Nairobi on Monday, Kenya’s President, William Ruto said that Africa can be a green industrial hub that helps other regions achieve their net-zero strategies by 2050.
The president said that the continent has enough potential to become entirely self-sufficient with the mixture of wind, solar, geo-thermal, sustainable biomass and hydro power If only “we can take the next step and engage in value added activities like refining minerals into industrial grade metal.
The summit, which is intended to reframe the continent as a budding renewable energy powerhouse, comes ahead of a flurry of diplomatic meetings leading to the November COP28 climate summit in the oil-rich United Arab Emirates, which will likely be dominated by clashing visions for the world’s energy future.
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It is expected to bring together leaders from the 54-nation continent who will define a shared vision of Africa’s green development — an ambitious aim in a politically and economically diverse region whose communities are among the most vulnerable to climate change.
“We aspire to chart a new growth agenda that will deliver shared prosperity and sustainable development,” the president said on X, formerly Twitter.
He noted that Africa is committed to taking advantage of this unique opportunity to guide the globe towards inclusive climate action, adding however that the international community must help unblock financing for the continent and ease the mounting debt burden on African countries.
Joseph Nganga, who is Ruto’s appointee to head the summit, said that the conference would demonstrate that “Africa is not just a victim but a dynamic continent with solutions for the world”.
Civil society groups are expected to protest near the summit at its opening against what they have described as its “deeply compromised agenda” and focus on rich-nation interests.
Story was adapted from africanews.
