The Horn Of Africa States: The Second Africa Climate Summit Two (ACS2) – OpEd
At the opening of the second Africa Climate Summit, H.E. Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, emphasized the importance of ensuring fairness and equity in the distribution of climate finance. He said, “The vulnerability of our member countries—exacerbated by climate change, debt burdens, and structural inequalities in the global financial system—must be addressed through climate justice and genuine cooperation.” (African Union Press release).
The Summit, the second for Africa (ACS2) marked a shift in how Africa engages in global climate discussions. Some leaders including the AU Commission Chair were reframing Africa as a source of innovation, not just a victim, boosting its influence in climate negotiations. A key highlight was the proposed Africa Climate Innovation Compact, which aims to scale 1,000 homegrown solutions by 2030, backed by a $50 billion annual financing model. The Summit also amplified calls for climate justice, including predictable finance, loss and damage funding, and stronger African roles in global carbon markets. Civil society groups like Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA) demanded accountability, clear plans, deadlines, and progress tracking, to ensure promises turn into action. These shifts in tone, ambition, and pressure make ACS2 a potential turning point for African climate leadership, if follow-through is sustained.
But while the second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) brought promising rhetoric and initiatives, there are valid reasons for skepticism, grounded in past experiences and ongoing structural challenges. The most pressing concern is the persistent “promised vs delivered” gap. Previous summits, including ACS1 in 2023, saw bold commitments around renewables, adaptation, and climate finance. However, follow-through has often been inconsistent. Projects got delayed, funding pledges go unmet, as political momentum fade once the spotlight moves elsewhere. This pattern threatens to repeat unless mechanisms for accountability are strengthened.
A second issue is the heavy dependence on external finance, which tends to render the whole project as another begging bowl. Despite leaders framing their calls as investment opportunities rather than appeals for aid, the continent remains reliant on international donors, lenders, and investors. With rising global interest rates, donor fatigue, and mounting debt burdens, the broader financial climate is not always conducive to scaling climate action. The continent hardly looks inward for local financings and investments.
There are also institutional and political constraints. Many African governments face limited bureaucratic capacity, governance challenges, high debt servicing obligations, and competing priorities such as food security, health, and infrastructure, all colored by corruption, personal enrichment at the very top or at every level and tribal/clan dominance of state affairs and not the citizen. These factors can delay or dilute the impact of climate pledges, even when political will exists.
Finally, there appears to be a lack of binding mechanisms or enforcement tools. Declarations like the Addis Ababa Declaration sound ambitious but lack legal or financial consequences for non-compliance. Without measurable targets, timelines, or transparent reporting systems, there is a risk that ACS2 will become more about symbolism than systemic change.
Addressing these concerns is essential if the summit’s ambitions are to be realized.
Will this be “just another bowl for begging”?
Probably not only that, but there is a serious risk that without concrete, enforceable followthrough, it will look a lot like past summits: strong speeches, ambitious goals, but slow progress on the ground for many communities. The “begging bowl” metaphor captures the dependency aspect: asking for money, technology, favorable terms, things Africa needs. But there are differences this time: Africa was (more than before) insisting on being a partner, an innovator, not just a recipient.
What needs to happen for ACS2 to break the pattern
To avoid becoming just another summit filled with lofty declarations, ACS2 must translate ambition into action through several key priorities. First, clear, measurable goals are essential, not vague calls for climate financing, but specific targets like “X dollars by year Y” for defined sectors, with transparent plans for use, beneficiaries, and success metrics. Second, transparent accountability mechanisms must be built in, including regular reporting, independent evaluations, civil society oversight, and clear benchmarks to track delivery. Third, Africa needs to focus on domestic resource mobilization, not just relying on external funding, but increasing climate-related taxation, reallocating budgets, incentivizing private sector involvement, and advocating for debt relief to unlock resources. Fourth, financing alone is not enough; there must be investment in technology transfer, capacity building, and infrastructure to ensure local ability to implement and maintain solutions. None of the above is apparent, so far!
Finally, long-term commitment is crucial, ACS2 outcomes must shape policies, budgets, and national strategies, and align with key global processes like COP30 to ensure lasting impact. Here, one must lean toward cautious optimism on ACS2. There were meaningful shifts underway, in tone, in how Africa frames its role, and in proposed financing models like the Africa Climate Innovation Compact. The summit signaled a move from asking for help to asserting leadership and offering solutions.
That was encouraging. However, the history of climate diplomacy teaches us to look beyond declarations. The real test will come one to three years from now: can one point to concrete projects that are delivering real benefits, especially for vulnerable communities, and are they funded, scaled, and sustained? This is food for thought!
Dr. Suleiman Walhad
Dr. Suleiman Walhad writes on the Horn of Africa economies and politics. He can be reached at suleimanwalhad@yahoo.com.
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