Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta vowed at the COP26 United Nations Climate Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, on Monday to make Africa’s voice on climate finance heard.
“Two times in a row, developing countries have been promised US$100 billion per year but it has not yet been delivered,” said Kenyatta. “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.”
Although the majority of concerns spoken at the COP26 are about the developing world, which mainly refers to the African continent, Kenyatta still pleaded for the world leaders to make Africa’s situation 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 continued.
“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.”
Kenya is a nonpermanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The Kenyan president warned against the growing security concerns of climate impacts and promised that his country would champion the African cause at the UNSC.
Kenyatta also used the opportunity to praise the work of Kenyan activist Elizabeth Wathuti, who made a powerful call to action based on the disproportionate impacts and climate challenges that the African people are suffering from.
