From Pledges to Implementation: Advancing Africa’s Climate Leadership at CCDA-XIV

Today marks the beginning of the fourteenth Conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-XIV). The conference is being held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “From Pledges to Implementation: The Belem-Antalya-Addis Roadmap.” Its aim is to strengthen Africa’s climate leadership by promoting coordinated policies, partnerships, investments, and actions that accelerate climate-resilient and low-emission development. The conference, which will end on September 9, will help shape Africa’s strategic engagement at COP31 and lay the groundwork for an ambitious, African-led COP32.

The conference was co-organised by the Economic Commission for Africa, the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Development Bank, Afrexim Bank, and PACJA.

 Addressing  the  audience  at the  opening session H.E Clever Gatete, the Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic  Commission for Africa, emphasized the critical need for climate justice and increased, affordable international support for Africa’s climate action, while also calling for Africa to proactively shape solutions that directly drive its sustainable development and address key societal challenges.

“Africa must move beyond voicing concerns to actively shaping global climate solutions.This involves developing and presenting African proposals on finance, adaptation, energy, trade, technology, and climate governance to global climate processes like COP31 and COP32,” Stressed  HE Clever Gatete.

Olubunmi Obasanjo-Williams, speaking on behalf of Mr. Yusuf Daya from the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) relations and trade policy at Afreximbank, emphasised the importance of the African Union’s Agenda 2063. She explained that Afreximbank’s climate strategy supports member states in transitioning to low-carbon, climate-resilient economies while promoting industrial growth. The strategy is built on three main pillars: (1) climate finance to bridge the gaps in adaptation and mitigation, (2) Stronger climate risk management, and (3) Climate advocacy and partnerships.

She emphasised that “A sustainable transition must not restrict energy access, limit industrialisation, or create new trade barriers. It must support African processing, manufacturing, technological development, and job creation, especially concerning its mineral resources”.

Speaking on the need to move beyond climate pledges towards concrete implementation roadmaps, emphasizing Africa’s proactive role in global climate governance, H.E. Moses Vilakati, commissioner, agriculture, rural development, blue economy and Sustainable Environment, AUC said that these challenge has made it hard for Africa to develop credible propositions for the world, not just seek assistance, while ensuring climate investments drive broader socioeconomic transformation aligned with Agenda 2063.

“Climate Finance remains central, requiring reforms that address debt, support quality, loss and damage, and historical contributions to climate change and adaptation; it must be treated as a core pillar of climate success, focusing on resilient agriculture, urban infrastructure, early warnings, health systems, and poverty alleviation”, he emphasised.

The CCDA XIV is being held in advance of COP31, which is set to take place in Antalya, Turkey. During this event, Dr. Mithika Mwenda, the Executive Director of PACJA, emphasized the essential role that Africa will play in the upcoming climate conferences (COP31 and COP32). He highlighted the urgent need to transition from climate declarations to tangible implementation and accountability.

Dr Mithika said that Africa must ask what has been secured through previous COPs, what remains unfulfilled, and what lessons have emerged from implementation across countries and communities.

CCDA-XIV anchors the Conference’s central theme of moving from commitments to delivery, ensuring Africa’s climate and development agenda translates into politically resilient, implementable outcomes for the AGN and the continent’s broader climate and development partners. It is  expected to  deliver on the following

1. The CCDA-XIV strategic messages, articulating Africa’s common priorities and recommendations for COP31 and strategic directions towards COP32.
2. Summary report capturing the main discussions and policy recommendations that support implementation of the Paris Agreement, GST1 outcomes, NDCs 3.0 and National Adaptation Plans.
3. A strengthened network of partnerships among governments, regional institutions, development partners, research organisations, civil society and the private sector to advance implementation.