Addis Ababa Set to Host Landmark Africa Climate Summit on Financing Green Development

Reporting by Elijah Odanga

The countdown has begun for the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS-2), set to take place from September 8–10, 2025, at the Addis International Convention Center in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Co-hosted by the Government of Ethiopia and the African Union, the summit carries the theme “Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development.”

More than 45 heads of state and government, alongside policymakers, climate experts, financial institutions, civil society, youth representatives, and the private sector, are expected to gather in Addis Ababa. The summit will serve as a pivotal platform to advance Africa’s climate leadership, strengthen collaboration, and push for concrete financing commitments that translate pledges into action.

Africa remains the region most vulnerable to climate change, despite contributing less than 4 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Rising temperatures, recurrent droughts, and flooding have devastated agriculture, displaced millions, and heightened food insecurity. The continent’s dependence on rain-fed agriculture, limited adaptation capacity, and fragile infrastructure have compounded its susceptibility.

Against this backdrop, ACS-2 seeks to amplify Africa’s unified voice on climate action while showcasing indigenous and innovative solutions that can drive systemic change. The summit is also expected to shape the continent’s common position ahead of COP30, particularly on climate finance and just energy transitions. 

Ethiopia’s selection as host underscores its growing reputation in climate leadership. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Green Legacy Initiative (GLI) has become one of the world’s largest reforestation programs, planting over 47.5 billion trees in seven years to combat climate change, restore ecosystems, and improve livelihoods.

“This landmark gathering offers a vital opportunity to redefine Africa’s aspirations for a climate-resilient and prosperous future,” Prime Minister Abiy said in his message ahead of the summit. He emphasized that ACS-2 will highlight Africa-led solutions and bold efforts to restore degraded landscapes while laying the foundation for greener, climate-resilient development.

ACS-2 follows the inaugural Africa Climate Summit held in Nairobi, Kenya, in 2023, which culminated in the Nairobi Declaration. That declaration established Africa’s unified climate position, called for a new global financial architecture, and demanded debt relief and restructuring to allow African nations to pursue both development and climate goals. It also endorsed leveraging Africa’s natural resources for low-carbon growth and institutionalized the summit as a biennial event.

This year’s summit in Addis will build on those commitments while focusing on the practical implementation of the African Union’s Climate and Resilient Development Strategy and Action Plan (2022–2032).

At the heart of ACS-2 will be the urgent issue of climate finance. African nations require substantial investments to meet their adaptation and mitigation goals. The summit will explore innovative financing mechanisms, from green bonds and climate funds to public-private partnerships, aimed at unlocking resources for renewable energy, e-mobility, sustainable agriculture, and resilient urban infrastructure.

ACS-2 is expected to culminate in the Addis Ababa Declaration on Climate Change, unifying Africa’s stance ahead of COP30 and showcasing the continent’s readiness to lead. The summit will highlight transformative solutions including nature-based approaches, renewable energy, sustainable food systems, green cities, e-mobility, and indigenous knowledge systems.

As climate impacts intensify, the Addis summit seeks to move beyond rhetoric—from pledges to action—and establish Africa not just as a victim of climate change, but as a leader of global climate solutions.

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