Africa’s Defining Moment: Launching the Climate and Economic Justice Campaign

In the heart of a continent rich in resources but burdened by history, a new movement is rising—one that seeks to redefine Africa’s place in a world shaped by climate chaos, economic injustice, and structural inequality.

Today, the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) Global Call Against Action To poverty (GCAP)and its partners launched the Climate and Economic Justice Campaign—a sweeping call to action aimed at redressing long-standing imbalances in global climate finance, trade, and debt governance. At its core is a simple, urgent demand: a new global architecture rooted in justice, equity, and the recognition of Africa’s agency.

“It is profoundly unjust that Africans continue to bear the cost of crises they did not create,” says Augustine Ndjamshi, Chair of PACJA’s Political and Technical Committee. “This historical imbalance must be acknowledged and redressed.”

The Convergence of Crisis

From crippling debt to climate vulnerability, Africa finds itself entangled in overlapping crises. The legacies of colonialism, structural adjustment programs, and extractive global systems have left many countries heavily indebted, under-resourced, and on the frontline of a warming planet.

“Africa has carried the weight of neoliberal economic policies for decades,” says Sheila Apiny, Regional Climate Justice Advisor. “Policies driven by the IMF and World Bank, framed as austerity and reform, have often stifled development rather than enabled it.”

Climate change has only deepened these wounds. Droughts, floods, and rising temperatures have disrupted food systems, displaced communities, and placed a disproportionate burden on African nations—despite contributing the least to global emissions.

Debt and the Colonial Continuum

Debt remains a central focus of the campaign, seen not merely as an economic issue but as a continuation of colonial exploitation.

“Much of what is being advanced—particularly by governments and multilaterals—leans heavily on debt instruments, often with little regard for the historical and structural contexts of African debt,” says Jackson Braganza of AFRODAD.

Sophie Nampewo Njuba, Development Coordinator at Oxfam Africa, argues that debt relief must be integral to any just transition: “We cannot talk about sustainable development while countries remain shackled by interest payments that eclipse spending on health, education, or climate resilience.”

From Performative to Transformative

The campaign goes beyond critique—it demands a complete transformation of the global economic order.

“Climate finance should be 100% grant-based, especially for adaptation in Africa and small island states,” says Martha Bekele of DevTransform. “We are tired of asking for accountability from a system that has never worked for us.”

This vision includes structural reform of global financial institutions, an end to debt-based climate solutions, and support for African-led initiatives that reflect the continent’s priorities.

A Just Transition Must Be Just

Eugene Nforngwa, a lead strategist at PACJA, puts it bluntly: “A just transition in Africa cannot take root within an unjust global economic system.”

The campaign calls for debt cancellation, fair trade terms, and climate finance mechanisms that empower rather than indebt. It also highlights the need for new rules on the exploitation of critical minerals, which are increasingly central to the global clean energy transition.

“We must move beyond being raw material exporters,” says John Sloan of the UN Economic Commission for Africa. “No country has all the inputs for battery manufacturing, so regional cooperation and strategic partnerships are key.”

Sovereignty, Voice, and Global Responsibility

Ultimately, the Climate and Economic Justice Campaign is about reclaiming voice and power.

“We must raise our voices louder for justice—because silence has never brought change,” says Sam Ogallah of the African Union.

With COP29 on the horizon and global economic systems teetering, Africa’s message is clear: meaningful climate action must confront the structural inequities that have long defined the global order. The campaign is not just a plea—it is a declaration.

It is Africa’s defining moment.