(AFRICA SOVEREIGN CARBON REGISTRY) President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh calls to “Change Paradigm” and highlights Sovereign Carbon Agency’s Impact Projects in his Address at the 2nd Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa

In his speech delivered at the opening of the Second Africa Climate Summit, currently taking place in the Ethiopian capital, President Ismaïl Omar Guelleh called on African nations to “change paradigm and embrace an alternative development model that places the energy transition at the heart of priorities.”

The Head of State – whose Foreign Minister is currently chairing the African Union Commission – went on to cite the example of the Sovereign Carbon Agency and the two years of tangible impact achieved by it.

“In this regard, I would like to share with you my country’s experience with the establishment of the Sovereign Carbon Agency. For the past two years, the Agency has been collecting carbon contributions based on the ‘polluter-pays’ principle and transforming them into adaptation projects for communities affected by global warming,” he stated.

The President concluded: “I call on all countries across the continent, following the example of our brotherly nation of Gabon, to draw inspiration from the initiative of the Sovereign Carbon Agency.”

Two years after its establishment, the Sovereign Carbon Agency of Djibouti has successfully financed more than fifty tangible projects nationwide. These initiatives have been made possible through carbon contributions collected from international maritime and air carriers under the country’s pioneering Sovereign Carbon Initiative.

Operating under the governance of the Africa Sovereign Carbon Registry Foundation, Sovereign Carbon Initiatives channel vital resources to tackle the urgent impacts of climate change on local communities, while at the same time reinforcing African countries’ sovereignty over their climate finance.

In Djibouti, from remote villages to coastal regions, dozens of projects are already underway in water, health and education, delivering concrete solutions to the most pressing needs of the population in a country on the frontline of the climate crisis:

•    Mobile purification units and emergency desalination systems securing safe drinking water in drought-affected regions.
•    Rapid-response equipment and a Maternity Hospital strengthening healthcare services in underserved areas.
•    24 schools electrified with solar power, while more than 35,000 school kits, new dormitories, and canteen facilities supporting students in rural regions.

In parallel, environmental programmes have restored over 15,000 mangroves, reforested degraded plateaus, and ensured the conservation of marine turtles on Maskali Island. Recycling initiatives and the local production of reusable bags are reducing plastic pollution nationwide.

Each initiative is carried out in coordination with relevant ministries, embedded in national government action, and implemented with the support of local associations and communities.

To respond to both immediate urgencies and long-term challenges, the Sovereign Carbon Agency of Djibouti structures its work around three levels of action:

•     Emergency actions
•     Quickly deployed responses with prefectures and local associations
•     Environmental programmes and energy transition

Find out more: www.asc-registry.org | https://sovereign-carbon-agency.com