President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya vowed to make Africa’s voice on climate finance heard at the COP26 United Nations Climate Conference in Glasgow, Scotland on Monday.
“Two times in a row, developing countries have been promised US$100 billion per year but it has not yet been delivered,” said Kenyatta, speaking at the World Leaders Summit. “Finally, we expect that detailed rules and procedures for implementing the Paris Agreement will be finalized, and a clear way forward for a climate resilient pathway set.”
Much of the COP26 focus is on the world’s last, best chance to avoid the worst effects of climate change, and much of that focus is on the African continent. Still, Kenyatta expressed concern that Africa’s situation needs to be a global priority.
“Throughout Africa as the most vulnerable continent to the impacts of climate change, countries are already experiencing loss and damage of an increasing magnitude and frequency,” Kenyatta said.
“We are therefore deeply concerned to hear that yesterday during the adoption of the agenda of this conference, the item on the special needs and circumstances of Africa was yet again not adopted.”
The Kenyan president cautioned that climate impacts are a growing security concern, and that his country would champion the African cause at the United Nations Security Council, where Kenya is seated as a nonpermanent member.
Kenyatta also praised the work of Kenyan activist Elizabeth Wathuti, who made a compelling appeal for action based on the disproportionate impacts and climate challenges that the African people already experiences.
Image: Statehouse Kenya
