African leaders advocate for Fair Climate Finance at ACS2 Solidarity Levies event
Date: 2025-09-12
At the just-ended Africa Climate Summit II (ACS2), Kenya’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Ambassador Ali Mohamed has called for fair and coordinated financing mechanisms to bolster Africa’s resilience against climate impacts without exacerbating the continent’s debt burden.
He emphasized
the need for affordable, reliable support during the Global Solidarity Levies
event, highlighting Kenya’s collaborative leadership with France and Barbados
through the Global Solidarity Levies Task Force (GSLTF).
Ambassador
Mohamed outlined the potential of solidarity levies on luxury aviation as a
climate justice tool, capable of raising up to $140 billion annually if adopted
globally while protecting ordinary travelers. He also pointed to progress in
the shipping sector’s International Maritime Organization (IMO) rules as
evidence that international levies are both feasible and politically viable. He
urged African nations to unite behind a common position and support the
emerging aviation levy coalition, emphasizing that ACS2 must translate the
vision of the Nairobi Declaration into tangible instruments by COP30.
The Secretary-General
of Finance in Common (FiCS), Adama Mariko underscored the increasingly critical
role of development finance institutions (DFIs) in Africa as traditional
official development aid declines. He highlighted the recent formal recognition
of DFIs’ mandate at the Fourth International Conference on Financing for
Development (FfD4) in Seville, which aligns with the Paris Agreement and
Sustainable Development Goals.
Ms. Diana
Acconcia of the European Commission reinforced the importance of unified action
against opponents of solidarity levies, stressing that collective effort is
essential to unlocking innovative climate finance sources.
Moderated by Chenai C. Mukumba, Executive Director of Tax Justice Network Africa, the event brought together African ministers and multilateral partners to demonstrate continental solidarity and shared leadership. The discussions affirmed Africa’s determination to convert climate finance commitments into concrete actions through pragmatic partnerships and political will on the road to COP30.
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
