WHAT: Africa Day High-Level Side Event at COP30
WHO: African Union Commission (AUC); African Development Bank (AfDB), African Union Development Agency-NEPAD (AUDA-NEPAD); and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).
WHEN: Tuesday, 11 November 2025; 13:30-15:30 Brasilia Time (GMT-3)
WHERE: African Pavilion, Blue Zone, Belem, Brazil - and online
The African Union Commission (AUC), in collaboration with the African Development Bank Group, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), and the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), will host a high-level side event to commemorate Africa Day at the 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) in Belém, Brazil.
The event, themed "Africa at the Forefront of Climate Action: Sustainable Financing for Resilient and Inclusive Green Growth," will take place on Tuesday 11 November 2025.
Building on the outcomes of the Second Africa Climate Summit held in Addis Ababa, the Africa Day dialogue at COP30 aims to translate Africa's unified climate agenda into tangible results - securing binding commitments from developed nations to channel at least 30% of climate finance to African-led initiatives and developing a roadmap for AfCFTA-driven carbon trade.
In commemorating Africa Day at COP 30, government leaders, experts and representatives of regional organisations will amplify Africa's collective voice on climate finance as a catalyst for transformational climate action, economic diversification, and poverty reduction. The Day will also showcase successful African-led initiatives and serve as a platform for forging strategic partnerships and mobilising new financing commitments across priority sectors such as renewable energy, climate-smart agriculture, ecosystem restoration, and green jobs creation.
Background and Context
Africa is home to vast natural assets, including forests, peatlands, and regenerative agricultural systems that serve as critical carbon sinks. These ecosystems not only store billions of tons of CO2 but also sustain millions of livelihoods through agriculture, energy and trade. For instance, the Congo Basin, the world's second-largest tropical rainforest after the Amazon, stores an estimated 60 billion tons of CO2, representing roughly 4% of global tropical forest carbon stocks.
To achieve climate-resilient development and a just transition to low-carbon economies, Africa requires accessible, scalable, and diversified financing to address adaptation, mitigation, and green industrial transformation.
With its large youth population, gender equity goals, and rich natural capital, Africa's success depends on inclusive and innovative financing models that turn ecological assets into opportunities for sustainable growth.
Africa Day at COP 30 will reaffirm the continent's leadership in shaping a global green transition that is both equitable and transformative.
#AfricaCOP
