05.09.2023 – 10:56

COP28 Presidency Partners with African Leaders to Raise Climate Ambitions, Seize Opportunity of Green Growth Through Fairer Climate Finance for Africa

COP28 President-Designate Dr. Sultan Al Jaber addressed the inaugural Africa Climate Summit, held in Nairobi, Kenya.
Speaking to heads of state at its high-level opening, Al Jaber announced a $4.5 billion clean energy investment initiative between the UAE and Africa that aims to unlock Africa's capacity for sustainable prosperity.
Working together, The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Etihad Credit Insurance, Masdar and AMEA Power will join with Africa 50 as a strategic partner under the guidance of the UAE and African leadership to "develop 15 GW of clean power by 2030."
The initiative will "demonstrate the commercial case for clean investment across this important continent" and will be "designed to work with Africa, for Africa."
"Will act as a scalable model that can and should be replicated and will support COP28's global goal of tripling renewable energy by 2030."
"Al Jaber grounded his remarks in the reality that "the world is losing the race to secure the goals of the Paris Agreement and struggling to keep 1.5 within reach" And that Collectively, "we are not delivering the results that we need in the time we need them."
Al Jaber cited that currently, "Africa contributes just 3 per cent of global emissions, yet suffers some of the worst consequences. Droughts, floods and failed harvests have exposed one fifth of Africa's people to hunger, tripled the number of people displaced in the last three years, and is dragging down Africa's GDP growth by at least 5 per cent every year.
In response, he called on "all parties to unite around a plan of action that is fully inclusive, that fast tracks a just, responsible and well managed energy transition, focuses on people, lives and livelihoods, and fixes climate finance."
Al Jaber called Africa "a beacon of hope, filled with potential and a global example of what pro-climate, nature positive development should look like, adding that "it simply makes sense for Africa to get a fairer share of the pie."
The "key to making this happen is finance, but it must be made available, accessible and affordable."
In his remarks, the COP28 President-Designate made calls to raise ambitions, including by "calling on donors to close out the 100-billion-dollar pledge they made over a decade ago, to replenish the green climate fund, to double adaptation finance by 2025 and for all parties to transform the Global Goal on Adaptation from theory into real action and tangible results."
He also called for "early pledges for the loss and damage fund to help vulnerable countries."
"What was promised in Sharm El Sheikh, must be delivered in Dubai."
During the three-day trip, the Al Jaber spoke on multiple platforms on topics including cooling, youth engagement, adaptation and security; as well as meeting with African leaders and visiting local communities experiencing climate-related hardships.
Dr. Al Jaber was joined by esteemed member of the COP28 leadership team, including HE Shamma Al Mazrui, Youth Climate Champion; HE Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion; HE Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi, Director-General of COP28 and HE Adnan Amin, CEO of COP28

COP28 President-Designate Dr. Sultan Al Jaber addressed the inaugural Africa Climate Summit, held in Nairobi, Kenya, where he emphasised the need for mitigation and adaptation finance as critical success factors for climate progress in Africa and globally.

Noting that the world is "losing the race to secure the goals of the Paris Agreement and struggling to keep 1.5 within reach," Dr. Al Jaber called on "all parties to unite around a plan of action that is fully inclusive, a plan of action that fast tracks a just, responsible and well managed energy transition, focuses on people, lives and livelihoods, and fixes climate finance.

Addressing heads of state at the high-level opening of the summit, Al Jaber announced a new $4.5 billion initiative between the UAE and Africa that seeks to unlock Africa's capacity for sustainable prosperity.

Al Jaber announced that "The Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, Etihad Credit Insurance,

Masdar and AMEA Power will join with Africa 50 as a strategic partner under the guidance

of the UAE and African leadership to develop 15 GW of clean power by 2030. Working together, we will deploy 4.5 billion dollars that will catalyze at least an additional 12.5 billion dollars from multilateral, public and private sources."

"It is our ambition that this will launch a new transformative partnership to jump start a pipeline of bankable clean energy projects," said Al Jaber.

The President-Delegate explained that the partnership will "demonstrate the commercial case for clean investment" across Africa and "act as a scalable model that can and should be replicated…it is designed to work with Africa, for Africa."

Al Jaber acknowledged that "Africa contributes just 3 percent of global emissions, yet suffers some of the worst consequences. Droughts, floods and failed harvests have exposed one fifth of Africa's people to hunger, tripled the number of people displaced in the last three years, and is dragging down Africa's GDP growth by at least 5 per cent every year.

Al Jaber also recognized the scale of energy poverty within Africa, acknowledging that "almost half of Africa's population still have no access to electricity, almost one billion people lack clean cooking fuels, and this energy gap will only increase as Africa's population grows."

Discussing how to fast track low-carbon solutions for Africa's growing population, Al Jaber said that the "key to making this happen is finance, but it must be made available, accessible and affordable."

As a part of the COP28 Presidency's Action Agenda, Al Jaber emphasized his plan to fix climate finance. He urged donors to "close out the 100-billion-dollar pledge they made over a decade ago and to replenish the green climate fund…In parallel, we need a complete upgrade of the global financial architecture that was built for a different era. IFIs and MDBs must up their game, including by raising concessional capital and lowering debt burdens. They need to attract and leverage private capital at a multiple. And the multilateral, public and private sectors need to mesh together and work as true partners to accelerate the delivery of practical solutions and real, impactful projects on the ground."

Addressing the imbalance between financing for mitigation and adaptation, Al Jaber called on donors to "double adaptation finance by 2025", and to "transform the Global Goal on Adaptation from theory and text into tangible action and real results." We also need early pledges for the loss and damage fund, to help vulnerable countries recover from severe climate impacts that they are already experiencing:

The COP28 President-Designate stated, "What was promised in Sharm El Sheikh, must be fully operational in Dubai."

During his remarks, Al Jaber also highlighted many of Africa's trailblazing climate initiatives noting that many African countries are already leading the way. Al Jaber noted how "Kenya is closing in on its goal of 100 per cent clean energy by 2030, the African Union's Great Green Wall is helping reclaim degraded agricultural land across the Sahel. Ethiopia's Green Legacy Initiative is enhancing food security and stimulating green jobs across the Horn of Africa. And the countries of the Congo Basin are protecting vital rainforests and helping preserve the world's natural carbon sinks."

Al Jaber expressed his belief that Africa is "a beacon of hope, filled with potential and a global example of what pro-climate, nature positive development should look like."

Al Jaber concluded his remarks at the summit by saying that climate change is a "global fight and demands a global solution". If Africa loses, we all lose, If Africa succeeds, we all succeed. Progress for one is progress for all.

This inaugural Africa Climate Summit was co-hosted by the Republic of Kenya and the African Union Commission, to convene national leaders from across Africa and the world, as well as leading figures from business, policy and civil society: to design and catalyze solutions which address climate change in Africa and across the world. The summit was attended by global and African leaders, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen, Chair of the African Union Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mahamat, and President of the African Union, H.E. President Azali Assoumani.

The full COP28 Presidency team accompanied the COP28 President-Designate to the Summit, taking part in a series of speaking engagements, meetings with national leaders, and community visits to improve collaboration on climate action.

The full COP28 UAE Presidency leadership team consists of:

His Excellency Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, President-Designate for COP28
Her Excellency Shamma Al Mazrui, Youth Climate Champion
Her Excellency Mariam Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment
Her Excellency Razan Al Mubarak, UN Climate Change High-Level Champion
His Excellency Ambassador Majid Al Suwaidi, Director-General of COP28
His Excellency Adnan Amin, CEO of COP28
Hana AlHashimi, UAE Chief Negotiator COP28

During the visit, H.E. Al Mazrui visited the Kibera Slum, Africa's largest urban slum, to meet individuals whose lives are profoundly affected by climate change. UN Climate Change High Level Champion for COP28 Razan Al Mubarak took part in a series of events focusing on nature-based solutions for climate action, investments for nature, and inclusion.

COP28's Director General Ambassador Al Suwaidi participated in an event to develop solutions for Voluntary Carbon Markets and announced a new 'Pact on Fragility', developed in collaboration with Kenya and Germany, to drive finance to countries experiencing climate change and conflict. Ambassador Al Suwaidi also visited the Dadaab refugee camp and witnessed the experience of refugees who have fled conflict in Somalia, whose hardships are compounded by prolonged droughts.

Dr. Al Jaber also engaged in bilateral meetings with African leaders, including the presidents of Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, African Development Bank, and several important officials and heads of states. Discussions revolved around mobilizing broader support for the COP28 agenda, addressing vulnerability to climate change impacts, seeking critical EU endorsement for COP priorities, garnering support for the hydrogen agenda, accelerating financing for adaptation efforts, and pursuing outcomes related to nature conservation packages, and many other important areas.

Notes to Editors COP28 UAE:

COP28 UAE will take place at Expo City Dubai from November 30-December 12, 2023. The Conference is expected to convene over 70,000 participants, including heads of state, government officials, international industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth, and non-state actors.
As mandated by the Paris Climate Agreement, COP28 UAE will deliver the first ever Global Stocktake – a comprehensive evaluation of progress against climate goals.
The UAE will lead a process for all parties to agree upon a clear roadmap to accelerate progress through a pragmatic global energy transition and a "leave no one behind" approach to inclusive climate action."
The four pillars of the COP28 Presidency's Action Agenda are fast tracking the energy transition, fixing climate finance, focusing on people, lives, and livelihoods, and underpinning everything with full inclusivity.

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