Summit to showcase Africa's climate action potential - CS Tuya

Environment, Climate Change and Forestry Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya has said the upcoming Africa Climate Summit will be a platform for the continent to showcase its climate action potential.

She said the continent has potential in niche sectors such as renewable energy, carbon sinks, sustainable agriculture and critical minerals.

The Africa Climate Summit(ACS) will take place in Nairobi between September 4 and 6.  

"At the summit, we will ask African countries to come and display their critical minerals potential," Tuya said.

"We will make a case for the processing of Lithium, Cobalt and other critical minerals in Africa, to not only create jobs for our youthful population but also to reduce the carbon footprints that are due to processing elsewhere."

Tuya spoke on Wednesday during a diplomatic briefing of African ambassadors on ACS preparations in Nairobi.  

She said President William Ruto and the Africa Union Commission leadership will lead Africa at the summit in showcasing Africa’s green energy potentials, which range from solar, wind and hydro.

Tuya said the energy if tapped, could power the world and minimise Greenhouse gas emissions. 

The CS said the continent will use the high-level Heads of State and Government meetings to pitch for and attract new development partners to support its green growth agenda.

"Africa is bringing its resources to the world and Africa is requesting the world to bring its capital to Africa," Tuya said.

"We are hosting a climate change trade and investment summit as opposed to an aid for Climate change cummit."

From the first ever ACS, the CS said Kenya looks forward to the adoption of a Nairobi African leaders declaration that will address the continent's climate financing gaps including reform of global multilateral financial institutions.

She said the declaration will also make proposals for reform of multilateral development banks, in a way that makes the banks support low-middle-income countries to avoid debt distress, freeing their capital for climate change interventions.

"The declaration will make an invitation for capital from across the globe, to exploit Africa’s assets and resources in ways that support sustainable development and enable green growth as we decarbonise the world," she said.

Tuya also spoke about Wednesday afternoon's African Heads of State and Government meeting on Africa Climate Summit.

"This afternoon, we will have an online meeting of the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC), chaired by  President William Ruto," Tuya said. 

She said the afternoon meeting will be part of the African Union process, to pave the way for the summit outcomes to be African Union resolutions.

The meeting will among other matters, discuss the draft summit position paper, which would then be transmitted to the various AU processes.

The CS also rallied the African Ambassadors to convince their Heads of State and Government to attend the ACS saying its outcomes will change Africa's climate action discourse.

"I would like to sincerely request you to call your capitals after this breakfast. Urge your Heads of State to make time and come to this Summit," Tuya said.

"It is the first time in climate change discourse that Africa shows her."," Tuya lobbied.