President William Ruto, addressing the EAC High-Level Forum on Climate Change and Food Security in Arusha, called for a paradigm shift in tackling climate change.
Ahead of the COP28 summit in Dubai, Ruto emphasized the East African Community's commitment to adopting innovative and sustainable measures.
In his address, President Ruto underscored Africa's valuable assets, including diligent and skilled human capital, extensive renewable energy reserves, and vast uncultivated arable land.
He asserted that these resources position the continent as a key player in global green industrialization, offering a unique opportunity to decarbonize manufacturing on a global scale.
The President's call for climate financing through climate investment was directed at regional counterparts, including Samia Suluhu Hassan (Tanzania), Evariste Ndayishimiye (Burundi), and Salva Kiir (South Sudan), present at the forum.
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Rwanda Prime Minister Edouardo Ngirente and Rebecca Kadaga, First Deputy Prime Minister of Uganda, also participated in the discussion, setting the stage for the EAC Heads of State Summit.
During the forum, President Ruto unveiled Africa's proposal for a new financing charter, designed to overhaul the current international financial system ill-equipped to address the complexities of the climate change era.
"The new charter should redefine financing approaches that are climate-sensitive and promote positive growth," Ruto emphasized.
Kenya, the EAC, and the wider African community are actively forming a global coalition dedicated to ushering in a new era of climate-conscious financing.
This collaborative effort seeks to advocate for the restructuring of financial systems to better align with climate goals, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and resilient global future.