Africa Must Be Proactive, Strategic, and United in Climate Action,” says PAP President at the 2nd Africa Climate Summit

The President of the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira has underscored the urgent need to reposition Africa as a central and coordinated voice in the global climate discourse. The call was made during a high-level event on “Elevating the African Union’s Role in Global Climate Leadership” was convened on the sidelines of the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2), taking place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia from 8 to 10 September 2025.
The session provided a platform for critical reflection on Africa’s role in shaping the global climate agenda and explored new strategies to strengthen the continent’s leadership in international climate negotiations. H.E. Chief Fortune Charumbira reminded participants that the PAP was established to give citizens of the continent a platform to engage in shaping policies that affect their lives.
While acknowledging PAP’s participation in COP meetings, the PAP President expressed concern that Africa’s common positions are often not clearly defined or effectively advanced, leading to limited success in international negotiations. He stressed that this trend calls for a strategic rethink:
“It is no longer sufficient to simply attend negotiations. Africa must be proactive, strategic, and united in advancing a coherent and ambitious climate agenda. We must define our roadmaps and expected outcomes, looking ahead, for example, to COP30, and ensure that our positions are clear, credible, and collectively owned.”
The President concluded by emphasizing the original vision of the African Union as not only an “AU of governments” but also an “AU of citizens”, urging all stakeholders to rally around this principle in advancing Africa’s climate leadership.
The second edition of the Africa Climate Summit aims to serve as a platform to inform, frame, and influence commitments, pledges, and outcomes. The Summit brings Africa’s shared vision of climate action on advancing Africa led solutions and how to finance them, collaboratively championed by the AUC and Ethiopia as the host. The Summit emphasizes the need for Africa to harness climate financing strategies that address the impacts of climate change while contributing to both climate adaptation and mitigation interventions and ensuring green development.