Accra, Sept. 9, GNA – Africa must move from reacting to global climate decisions to actively shaping international governance to advance climate development priorities, Nana Dr Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, the Chair of the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN) , said on Tuesday.
He said although Africa contributed the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, it remained among the region’s most vulnerable to climate impacts, making it imperative for the continent to play a more strategic role in determining the direction of international climate policy.
At a climate conference in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Nana Dr. Amoah said the continent could only secure favourable outcomes through a coordinated and proactive approach anchored on unity and a clear development agenda.
Speaking on the topic: “What would Africa’s climate leadership in global climate governance actually mean?“, he highlighted the importance of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), describing it as a critical platform through which the continent’s 54 countries harmonised their positions and projected a common voice in global climate discussions.
A meaningful climate leadership, he said, would require Africa to strengthen its narrative and agenda-setting capacity, expand its institutional influence in international processes, and make stronger legal and normative contributions to global climate frameworks.
Nana Dr Amoah said Africa must also prioritise accountability in the implementation of climate agreements to ensure that commitments made by developed countries translated into concrete support for adaptation, mitigation and sustainable development efforts on the continent.
He proposed the development of an African Common Platform to guide the continent’s long-term engagement in climate negotiations and safeguard its development priorities.
Such a platform, he explained, would protect policy space for industrialisation, economic transformation and poverty reduction while enabling countries to pursue climate-resilient development pathways.
The expert further emphasised the need for stronger coordination across climate, finance and trade policy spheres to improve Africa’s bargaining power and ensure coherence in its positions at international forums.
Looking ahead, he described Ethiopia’s hosting of the 32nd Conference of the Parties (COP32) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change as a significant opportunity for the continent to demonstrate leadership and advance a united agenda.
He urged African countries to use the platform to advocate greater climate finance, operationalise equity principles and push for the full implementation of commitments to adaptation financing and a just transition.
Nana Dr Amoah said Africa’s ability to influence global climate governance would ultimately depend on its capacity to maintain unity, strengthen regional cooperation and pursue a development-centred climate agenda that reflected the continent’s unique realities and aspirations.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe
9 Sept. 2026
Reporter: Albert Oppong-Ansah
Email: [email protected]