As the Africa Climate Summit 2025 (ACS2) approaches, non-state actors have called for a stronger role in shaping Africa’s climate agenda, stressing that climate justice, adaptation, and climate finance must remain at the heart of continental and global negotiations.
At the Non-State Actors Assembly (NSA) pre-summit session held on Saturday at the Adwa Memorial Museum in Addis Ababa, participants insisted that the voices of civil society, faith groups, labour unions, women, and grassroots communities should no longer be confined to the sidelines of climate talks.
Themed “Beyond the Summit Making NSAs’ Perspectives Count,” the gathering drew participants from across Africa, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and Ethiopia, setting the tone for inclusive dialogue ahead of the main ACS2.
Africa’s climate priorities must be people-centred
Welcoming delegates, Dr. Mithika Mwenda, Executive Director of the Pan African Climate Justice Alliance (PACJA), said the assembly was designed to amplify the voices of ordinary Africans in climate decision-making.
“Africa’s voice must be heard. This is not just about leaders in closed rooms, but about the people whose lives are most affected by climate change,” he said.
Speakers at the event identified adaptation strategies, climate finance pathways, and loss and damage mechanisms as urgent priorities. Delegates also pressed for policies and funding that place women and children at the centre of Africa’s climate response.
Faith-based organisations and labour groups demanded investments that would secure sustainable livelihoods, especially in vulnerable communities already battling droughts, floods, and rising food insecurity.
Climate justice linked to human rights
Several participants stressed that climate justice is inseparable from human rights, warning that marginalised communities often suffer the most from environmental degradation.
Youth advocate Yonas Gebru highlighted the urgency of the issue: “Addis Ababa is changing every second, not gradually but every moment. That is how urgent climate action must be.”
Building momentum toward COP30
The assembly concluded with a call for African unity and African-led solutions, making it clear that non-state actors must influence not only ACS2 outcomes but also the upcoming COP30 in Brazil.
Delegates agreed that the Addis Ababa pre-summit marks a turning point where Africa’s grassroots voices, civil society, and innovators will shape the continent’s climate narrative on the global stage.
By Dare Akogun, Addis Ababa
