African negotiators meet in Kenya to promote climate justice

More than 70 African negotiators on climate change met in Kenyan capital Nairobi on Tuesday to promote climate justice for the continent.

The two-day Special Session of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change, attended by delegates from 35 African countries, aims to discuss Africa's unified position on climate finance, adaptation and loss and damage, ensuring that the continent's voice remains strong in global climate negotiations.

Ali Mohamed, special climate envoy of Kenya and the chair of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change, said the convening comes at a critical moment for Africa's climate agenda because they will review the outcomes of the 29th session of the Conference of Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that was held in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November 2024.

"We are also strategizing for the upcoming Committee of the African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change that is taking place later this month," Mohamed said.

He added that the meeting will also set priorities for 2025 as well as Africa's united position ahead of COP30 that will be held in Brazil later this year.

Harsen Nyambe, director of Sustainable Environment and Blue Economy Directorate at the African Union Commission, said the continent cannot afford to be a passive participant in climate diplomacy and must be proactive, strategic and united in driving a climate agenda that protects the continent as a leader in the green economy.

Nyambe noted that Africa's quest for climate justice includes supporting the operationalization of the Loss and Damage Fund, increasing investment in renewable energy and strengthening community-driven climate adaptation strategies.

He said African countries are expected to receive adequate climate funds if the global climate finance mechanisms are reformed.

(Cover: A view of the 30-meter-high Fourteen Falls on the Athi River in Thika, Kenya, February 1, 2025. /VCG)