Ghana has reaffirmed its commitment, as Chair of the Africa Group of Negotiators (AGN), to promote a unified African climate position aimed at advancing resilience and sustainable development across the continent. Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources Kenneth Gilbert Adjei said sustained coordination and collective action are essential to shaping Africa’s future in an equitable, development-oriented, and just manner.
Adjei addressed a high-level meeting of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC) on behalf of Ghana, following the country’s election to lead the AGN. The meeting took place on the margins of the 39th Ordinary Session of the African Union Assembly in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He briefed members on outcomes of key climate engagements, including the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the Second Africa Climate Summit, and progress on implementing the African Leaders Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change and Call to Action.
Adjei expressed appreciation to President William Ruto of Kenya, who chaired the meeting, and called for strong political leadership to reinforce reforms and strengthen the AGN’s coordination mandate. He emphasized that the AGN plays a critical role in providing technical guidance, developing common negotiating positions, and briefing African ministers and heads of state ahead of major global climate summits. The AGN serves as the formal platform through which African countries coordinate their positions under the UNFCCC framework, strengthening the continent’s collective bargaining power on adaptation, climate finance, loss and damage, technology transfer, and capacity building.
President Ruto urged African countries to leverage growing global climate investment flows to position the continent as a leading destination for green industrialization. He noted that global energy-transition investment reached approximately US$2.3 trillion in 2025, reflecting a shift toward low-carbon production and electrified value chains. Meanwhile, AGN Chair Antwi-Boasiako Amoah pledged to prioritize inclusivity, transparency and youth engagement, including publishing periodic reports on AGN support to enhance accountability. He highlighted the significance of Africa preparing to host COP31 in 2027 in Addis Ababa and underscored the importance of collaboration and coherence to ensure a strong and unified African voice in global climate negotiations.