Ethiopia's PM Proposes Launch of African Climate Innovation Compact to Drive Visionary, Not Aid-Dependent, Growth

Addis Ababa, September 8, 2025 (ENA) -- Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed proposed the launch of an African climate innovation compact, a bold, continental, wide partnership, uniting Africa’s universities, research institutions, startups, rural communities, and innovators.

The Second Africa Climate Summit officially opened today in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the theme “Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa's resilient and Green Development.”

The summit, which will run for three days, aims to foster a unified African voice on global climate platforms and transform the continent's climate challenges into opportunities for shared prosperity.

In his address to the summit, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of Ethiopia said, “We ask our global partners not to fund us because we are impacted, but to invest with us because we are visionary.”

 

"To turn this vision into reality,” the premier proposed the launch of an African climate innovation compact, a bold, continental, wide partnership, uniting Africa’s universities, research institutions, startups, rural communities, and innovators.  

By 2030, the Compact should aim to deliver 1000 African solutions to tackle climate challenges in energy, agriculture, water, transport, and resilience, Abiy noted.

"Africa will not only meet its needs, but boost exports, powering growth beyond our borders in advancing Pan African prosperity."

Prime Minister Abiy elaborated that this compact will be funded and owned by Africans in partnership with the world, but never beholden to it.

Moreover, Abiy stressed, "We will also claim climate data sovereignty, mapping our own forests, measuring our own carbon, embracing our own ecosystems."

 

"Climate data is not just science. It is the new currency of power," he said, it is time to replace climate aid with climate investment; the returns will be measured in avoided emissions, millions of jobs, enhanced food security, stabilized regions in a more resilient global climate. Africa did not cause this crisis; yet, Africa can lead in solving it.

“We know what needs to be done. Now is the time to scale what works. Now is the time to accelerate our collective action,” PM Abiy urged.