President Kagame made a bold call to combat climate change
President Kagame addressing the Climate Summit in Nairobi
By Ange de la Victoire DUSABEMUNGU
President Kagame echoed the urgent call as he addressed the pressing issue of climate change during a gathering of world leaders at the Africa Climate Summit in Kenya.
“Every year, the world is reminded of the real and growing threat of climate change,” President Kagame began. “Recent findings tell us all kinds of stories, including that July was the hottest month ever recorded in human history.”
Africa, despite contributing the smallest share of global greenhouse gas emissions, continued to bear the burden of rising temperatures. President Kagame acknowledged that this reality was unfair, but he firmly believed that playing the blame game was not the answer.
“A more pragmatic approach is for Africa to be a key player in the search for global climate solutions,” he declared. “Africa stands united and should remain so in this position.”
The urgency and determination in his voice were evident as he spoke about Rwanda’s commitment to building a green economy and the need for greater private sector involvement.
“In Rwanda, we want the private sector to play a greater role in building a green economy,” President Kagame declared. “Our strategy is to position ourselves as an attractive destination for international climate financing and investment.”
President Kagame
He went on to explain how Rwanda had taken concrete steps towards achieving this goal. At COP-27, the country had launched Ireme Invest, a green investment facility created by the Rwanda Green Fund in partnership with the Development Bank of Rwanda. Through this initiative, they had already mobilized $200 million from domestic and international partners, including the European Investment Bank and the Green Climate Fund.
The inaugural Africa Climate Summit was held in Nairobi, Kenya
President Kagame also acknowledged the progress made in his country, Rwanda, highlighting their close collaboration with the International Monetary Fund and their participation in the Resilience and Sustainability Trust. Through this partnership, Rwanda had gained access to long-term financing to integrate climate considerations into their economic policies.
“This is a good sign that the international community is taking seriously the call to reform our global financial architecture,” President Kagame affirmed. “But we must not stop here. There is still more work to be done.”
