President William Ruto has called for a new paradigm shift in the financing of climate action.

Ruto made the remarks when he held bilateral talks with UN Secretary General António Guterres in Addis Ababa, on the sidelines of the 36th Ordinary Session of the African Union, Heads of States and Government Summit.


He noted that there was a need to review the current financing model of climate action to serve the intended purpose of fighting the effects of climate change. 

"There is need to review the current financial system to serve its purpose. I don't think reform is the right word. We need a new architecture to respond to climate change," Ruto said.

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The president said Kenya will host a climate summit in September 2023 to underline the government’s commitment to protecting the country from the adverse effects of global warming.

Guterres stated that the time had come to shake up the international financial and economic order.

He said they were trying to reform the international financial systems, which currently do not reflect the prevailing situation.


"We are trying to get reforms in the international financial systems. The international multilateral system today doesn’t represent the current situation," Guterres said. 

During the second conference of the Heads of State and Government of the Climate Change Commission for the Sahel Region, Ruto said it was time for Africa to tackle climate change collectively.


He said effective action will only be felt when the efforts of individual nations are converted to a collective endeavour.

The head of state said the continent must speak with one voice and champion the aspirations of its people.

He also said Africans must be defended against injustice and the plundering of their natural resources.

“We must defend our people against injustice that motivates the plunder of Africa’s natural resources,” Ruto said. 



Ruto noted that for Africa, mitigating climate change is a matter of human safety and security.

The president called for a “more just financial system” that will bring together climate action and development finance in Africa.


He said such a system will sustainably generate jobs, lead to sustainable post-disaster recovery and improved risk sharing.

Ruto also emphasized the importance of the continent working together to combat climate change.