Africa at COP31: AGN vows united push for climate finance
By: Abudu Olalekan
Africa’s climate negotiators are heading into COP31 with a clear message: the continent’s priorities must count, and promises must come with the money to deliver them.
Nearly 200 countries are gathering in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9 to 20 for talks aimed at advancing the Paris Agreement. Pressure is growing on world leaders to get climate finance to the communities bearing the heaviest costs of a changing climate.
The task is straightforward. Deliver.
Dubbed the “implementation COP,” the conference is expected to focus on turning existing commitments into practical action—helping communities withstand climate shocks, improving health and opening up economic opportunities.
For the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change (AGN), preparations have been underway throughout the past week. The group has been meeting in Antalya to align the continent’s priorities and build a common position before negotiations begin.
Those preparations have included consultations with UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell and the chairs of the UNFCCC’s two subsidiary bodies.
AGN Chair Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah expects a difficult start. Securing agreement on the conference agenda when talks open on Monday, he acknowledged, will not be easy. Still, Africa is seeking cooperation to get its proposals considered—and to secure the funding needed to put decisions into practice.
Two demands stand out: tripling adaptation finance and replenishing the Green Climate Fund.
“The agenda items that we have proposed are very important for the survival of our people within the continent and there is no way we’re going to compromise on them,” he said.
Amoah has called for “one Africa, a united voice and a shared ambition for development.” The aim is to secure climate decisions that address people’s needs without sidelining the continent’s development goals.
“We will firmly defend the agenda items we have proposed and work for outcomes that respond to our people’s needs, protect our development aspirations and deliver on climate commitments. Africa’s voice must count, and our priorities must shape the decisions,” he stated.
The AGN wants climate action that strengthens economies, improves livelihoods and supports sustainable development. That will take more than agreement on paper. Finance, technology and the capacity to deliver must follow.
Meanwhile, delegates are arriving in Antalya, including national negotiating teams, youth groups, Indigenous Peoples, scientists, civil society organisations and journalists. Africa’s negotiators say they are ready to make their case together.
Olalekan A. Abudu is a seasoned and dedicated News Journalist at REPORTERS ROOM, with over eight years of experience. He specializes in politics, climate change, health, and education, while also covering security, economic, and judicial issues. Committed to accuracy and balanced reporting, Olalekan exemplifies the principles of public-interest journalism.