Kenya commends swift response after fire incident at COP30 venue in Belém
Date: 2025-11-21
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
Kenya’s
Office of the Special Envoy for Climate Change has expressed appreciation to
Brazilian authorities and COP30 organisers for their rapid response to a fire
that broke out at the conference hangar venue in Belém on Thursday, destroying
the African Pavilion and prompting a full evacuation.
The
incident, caused by an electrical short circuit, resulted in no serious
injuries. According to the office, the affected area was quickly secured,
inspected and restored to operational standards before being formally handed
back to the UNFCCC the same evening.
Kenya noted that the destruction of the African Pavilion is a significant loss to the continent, describing it as an essential platform for amplifying African voices, promoting innovation and advancing a unified climate agenda. The country expressed solidarity with African delegations whose work was disrupted by the incident.
Ambassador
Ali commended the professionalism and resilience shown by Brazilian emergency
teams and organisers and reaffirmed Kenya’s commitment to continued
constructive engagement toward a successful and safe COP30.
