On the sidelines of the 2026 Annual Meetings of the African Development Bank Group, the high-level dialogue "Africa's Climate Leadership: Financing Transformation, Strengthening Partnerships, and Shaping the Road to COP32" convened senior leaders from governments, multilateral institutions, climate funds, the private sector, and civil society to advance Africa's climate and development agenda.
A central focus of the discussions was the launch of the report marking the 15-year partnership between the African Development Bank and the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), highlighting achievements in financing climate resilience and clean technologies across Africa.
In his opening remarks, Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth at the African Development Bank Group, emphasized the scale of the partnership's impact: "Over the past 15 years, we have successfully deployed over $1 billion in CIF resources. These funds have unlocked an additional $2.5 billion from the African Development Bank and $9 billion from other sources. That means that for each dollar of CIF, $10 was leveraged."
Organized jointly by the African Development Bank Group, CIF, and the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, the dialogue took place under the overarching theme "Mobilizing Africa's Development Financing at Scale in a Fragmented World."
Climate Investment Fund's Chief Executive Officer, Tariye Gbadegesin, reflected on the partnership and the next steps: "Today, we are not only celebrating that partnership, but we are also discussing what its next chapter must look like. And that next chapter must be bigger, faster, and more implementation-focused. The demand from countries is clearly there. The ambition from countries is clearly there. The real challenge now is delivery."
Participants emphasized that scaling implementation and mobilizing larger volumes of capital will be critical to meeting Africa's growing climate and development needs.
"We have the sound foundation, the strong partnerships, and the collective will. Together, let us make the next 15 years the most transformative era yet," Kariuki concluded.
Building on this spirit of partnership and coordination, participants welcomed the growing role of Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage as a landmark operational pillar of the global climate finance architecture. They hailed its establishment as a critical turning point that delivers essential support for countries and most vulnerable frontline communities.
"If we want this fund to be successful in supporting Africa, it has to be country-led, country-owned and the country has to be on the driver's seat. Simply because the business of supply-driven financing is no longer what Africa wants," said Ibrahima Cheikh Diong, Executive Director, Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage
"It's not for us to define the priority for the African continent, it's for the Africans, as several nations to decide what they want to do and our job is to come in and provide the support," he concluded.
The discussion also highlighted Africa's growing leadership on the global stage, particularly in the context of preparations for COP32 slated for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in 2027.
Semereta Sewasew, State Minister for Economic Cooperation, Ministry of Finance of Ethiopia, emphasized: "COP32 will be hosted by Ethiopia but it must be Africa's COP. It must be a moment where Africa demonstrates leadership not only through negotiations but through practical solutions and implementation. It must also be a moment when the global community recognizes that the investment in Africa's resilience and green development is not charity, it's an investment in shared prosperity, global stability and a sustainable future for all."
The African Development Bank Group reaffirmed its commitment to supporting African COPs and working with partners to deliver a results-oriented COP that strengthens both global climate ambition and Africa's development priorities.
VP Kariuki also stressed that: "Financing adaptation is not a cost, but a strategic investment that advances the African Development Bank's Four Cardinal Points priorities by strengthening access to capital, reinforcing financial systems, harnessing demographic opportunities, and building climate-resilient infrastructure and value chains for sustainable economic transformation across Africa."
The event also featured a high-level dialogue on the future of climate finance in Africa, with four panelists representing Germany, the United Kingdom and Ethiopia. "It's up to all of us to shape our future and we can do it only if we work together". Dr. Katharina Stasch, Director General for Global Alliances, European Union and Economic Development, Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany said.
The dialogue concluded with a shared call to strengthen partnerships, accelerate implementation, and ensure that climate finance delivers transformative impact for African countries and communities ahead of COP32 and beyond.
