• Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed called for a paradigm shift from "climate aid" to an investment-centric agenda for Africa.
• He proposed the "African Climate Innovation Compact," aiming to identify 1,000 investment-ready African climate solutions by 2030.
• Africa faces a significant climate finance gap, with only 23% of its annual estimated needs ($190 billion) currently met.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on September 8, opened the second African Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, asserting Africa's role as a continent of climate solutions rather than a victim of the crisis. He urged attendees to move beyond traditional "climate aid" to establish an agenda focused on investment and value creation. Africa, highly vulnerable to climate change, possesses substantial potential to foster a resilient development model.

This morning Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed opened the Second African Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, emphasizing Africa’s role as a continent of climate solutions rather than a victim of the crisis. He highlighted Ethiopia’s initiatives, including the Green Legacy tree-planting… pic.twitter.com/qpE3XK5s5o

— Office of the Prime Minister - Ethiopia (@PMEthiopia) September 8, 2025

Ahmed highlighted Ethiopia's own initiatives as exemplars, including the 5,150 MW Grand Renaissance Dam, the "Green Legacy" campaign which has resulted in billions of trees planted, and climate-smart agriculture aimed at enhancing food security. Furthermore, Abiy Ahmed introduced the "African Climate Innovation Compact," an initiative designed to gather 1,000 investment-ready African climate solutions by 2030.

This compact aims to establish a credible and standardized pipeline of projects. This will attract private capital and mobilize donors around measurable initiatives in renewable energy, agriculture, and ecosystem restoration.

Ahmed declared that Africa must become the model where the world observes climate goals being met, where reforestation is ingrained as a culture rather than a mere pilot project, where climate-smart agriculture sustains millions, and where green corridors link urban and rural areas within a communal life economy.

Despite this ambition, Africa faces a significant financial challenge. A 2024 report by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), "Landscape of Climate Finance in Africa 2024," indicated that the continent only covers 23% of its estimated annual needs to achieve its 2030 climate objectives. The report, published in October 2024, underscored the necessity for Africa to mobilize nearly $2 trillion by 2030—approximately $190 billion per year—through a combination of domestic and international, public, and private financing.

The African Climate Summit, running until September 10, seeks to translate pledges into concrete commitments. Ethiopia's announced bid to host COP32 in 2027 further exemplifies the continent's resolve to solidify African leadership in global climate governance.

This article was initially published in French by Abdoullah Diop

Adapted in English by Ange Jason Quenum