President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has urged wealthy nations to fulfill financial obligations made to assist Africa in combating climate change.
He said that, although contributing little to global warming, Africa bears the brunt of the burden.
President Akufo-Addo stated at the 2023 Africa Climate Summit in Kenya that African countries were doing their share to improve climate resilience, but that they required international financial help to supplement their efforts.
“Once we strive to do our bit to haul climate change at the national level, we expect also a lot to be done at the international level. One major issue of concern to us is the need to streamline access to international climate finance to complement national funding.”
“I believe this forum will shed more light on practical ways to mobilize financial resources to support the implementation of national climate actions. Especially how we can guarantee a different future from the past and ensure that the commitments of the developed world towards climate finance, which have not been met in the past, will be met in the future,” he stated.
President Akufo-Addo stated that the prohibition on illicit mining, popularly known as galamsey, was cutting carbon emissions.
He claimed that the prohibition on galamsey, which was harming water bodies and forest reserves, had contributed to a reduction in the country’s carbon emissions.
President Akufo-Addo also stated that many signature policy programs, including Planting for Food and Jobs, One Village, One Dam, and the prohibition on illicit mining, have all helped to lowering carbon emissions and strengthening the country’s resilience to the effects of climate change.
“We placed a ban on illegal mining, the phenomenon we call galamsey, which was destroying our water bodies, vegetation, and our forests. Some 20,000 young people have been engaged to plant more than 30 million trees in two years to create jobs and restore degraded lands,” he said.
“These policy initiatives are already yielding positive results in the attainment of SDG Goals, particularly the goal of reducing our carbon emissions,” President Akufo-Addo said.
