In early September 2025, all eyes in the climate advocacy space were on Africa for the  second edition of the Africa Climate Summit. This time the summit was hosted by Ethiopia, and took place at the Addis International Convention Center in Addis Ababa. 

The inaugural summit, held in Kenya in 2023, saw leaders adopt the Nairobi Declaration, which urged wealthy nations to meet climate finance pledges, reform global lending, and support new measures such as taxing fossil fuels put in place. The Nairobi summit also secured around $23 billion USD in climate commitments; however, it fell short on adaptation financing and addressing Africa’s debt burdens. The Ethiopian summit picked up where the last one left off.

In Addis Ababa, the summit convened under the theme "Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development.” Hosted by the Government of Ethiopia in collaboration with the African Union, it brought together African and global leaders, financiers, policymakers, innovators, civil society, youth, and the media.

The three-day event explored nature-based and technology-driven solutions, climate adaptation, renewable energy, sustainable food systems, green cities, e-mobility, indigenous knowledge, and community-led solutions. 

Ethiopian President Taye Atske Selassie, in closing the summit, said the gathering had shown that “Africa is not a victim of a crisis it did not create but rather a global center for climate solutions.”

Global Citizen was on the ground in Addis Ababa — here’s what you need to know about the 2025 summit and its outcomes: 

What is the Africa Climate Summit?

The Africa Climate Summit is Africa’s leading political platform for shaping the climate agenda. It provides a space for governments, financiers, innovators, and communities to align strategies on climate resilience, adaptation, financing, and green growth. Importantly, it amplifies Africa’s collective voice in global climate negotiations, ahead of COP30 in Belém, Brazil.

Major Announcements and Outcomes

1. The Addis Ababa Declaration

African leaders adopted the Addis Ababa Declaration on Climate Change and Call for Action. The declaration positions Africa as a renewable energy hub and also emphasizes the importance of fair international climate financing, with a focus on grant-based — money that doesn’t need to be paid back — rather than loans that push Africa’s countries into debt.  

2. Launch of the Africa Climate Innovation Compact

The continent’s leaders unveiled the Africa Climate Innovation Compact, pledging to deliver 1,000 homegrown climate solutions by 2030 in areas including energy, water, agriculture, transport, and resilience. The Compact aims to raise $50 billion annually in catalytic finance.

3. Green Industrialization Push

African financial institutions — including AfDB, Afreximbank, Africa50, and AFC — signed a Cooperation Framework for the Africa Green Industrialization Initiative (AGII), backed by $100 billion USD, to transform Africa’s industries into climate-smart growth engines.

4. A New International Pledge

The Government of Denmark committed $79 million USD to support agricultural transformation, signaling commendable international engagement in Africa’s green agenda.

What Else Happened at the Summit?

Panels, side events, and negotiations shaped the summit’s discussions, with a strong emphasis on renewable energy, food security, and climate finance.
One key highlight was Global Citizen’s high-level side event, “Bridging the Gap: Public-Private Investment for Africa’s Renewable Transition.”

This event brought together senior leaders from governments, development finance institutions, philanthropic organizations, and the private sector to explore actionable pathways for unlocking capital. Organized by Global Citizen’s Fellows under the Scaling Up Renewables in Africa (SURA) campaign, the event became a milestone in youth-led climate advocacy, with discussions on joint financing priorities, investment-ready opportunities, and mechanisms to de-risk renewable energy initiatives.

Youth Voices at ACS2

Representatives from Global Citizen Africa and Global Citizen Fellows — including Maimuna Maibe, guest speaker Bhekumuzi Dean Bhebhe (Power Shift Africa), Lungile Magagula, Lipalesa Morake, Lebo Mantambo, Hope Dlamini, and Fèmi Tankpinou — joined the Global Citizen side event “Bridging the Gap: Public-Private Investment for Africa’s Renewable Transition” under the SURA initiative at the Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa on Sept. 9, 2025. Image: Genaye Eshetu for Global Citizen

Global Citizen Fellows Hope Dlamini and Lungile Magagula reflected on the summit, emphasizing the significance of youth leadership in shaping Africa’s climate future.
“Attending the summit in Addis Ababa was a transformative experience for me as a Global Citizen Fellow. It was not only an opportunity to engage in high-level conversations but also to represent youth voices in spaces where climate, development, and justice intersect,” said Dlamini. “What stood out most,” she continued, “was how the summit repositioned Africa from being seen as climate-vulnerable to being recognized as a solutions hub, and I felt proud to be part of the momentum toward that narrative shift.”

Her key takeaways included:

• Raising Africa’s share of global renewable investment from 2% to 20% by 2030.
• Ensuring women and youth as decision-makers, not tokens.
• Designing Afrocentric, context-specific financing models.

On financing, she noted: “For me, the most important shift was the demand for finance as justice, not debt, with leaders explicitly calling for grants instead of loans.”
Her message to Global Citizens: “Africa is ready, the youth is energized and the willpower exists but it cannot do this alone. Global Citizens across the world must demand that world leaders honor climate finance commitments, push for loss, and damage frameworks to be operationalized, and support the development of core African principles to govern carbon markets.”

Magagula added: “It was powerful to see Africa shift the global climate narrative from being seen as climate-vulnerable to positioning itself as a driver of global solutions.”
Magagula’s top takeaways included financial reform, inclusivity, and solutions implementation. “Financing reform is urgent – Africa needs financing systems that reflect its realities, including shifting from debt-heavy loans to grant-based finance.”

He also highlighted: “What stood out the most was the emphasis on shifting from climate finance promises to project-level financing, ensuring money actually reaches communities and entrepreneurs on the ground.”

Magagula's call to action is clear: “Africa is not just a victim of climate change, it is a solutions hub. The commitments made show that if financing, inclusivity, and accountability are prioritized, Africa can lead the world in building a renewable-powered, equitable future.”

What’s Next?

The Africa Climate Summit 2025 was more than a meeting — it was a turning point. Building on the momentum of the Nairobi summit that came before it, the critical event resulted in ambitious declarations, major financing commitments, and youth leadership at the forefront. It also laid a foundation for Africa’s renewable-powered future.

The challenge now lies in translating these commitments into tangible action. Africa (which has contributed a tiny share of  historic emissions) still faces vast adaptation needs and a persistent finance gap. Though the summit saw major wins in the name of policy pledges, its ultimate success will depend on timely international follow-through, transparent accountability, and actual finance delivery — otherwise Addis Ababa risks joining a line of political declarations with bold language but weak implementation. 

As Dlamini reflected: “We can model new ways of thinking, pushing for Afrocentric financing models, for cross-sector collaboration, and for climate action that truly reflects the realities of the people it is meant to serve.”

And as Magagula emphasized: “Impact will be determined by whether commitments are translated into projects that improve lives on the ground.”

The Africa Climate Summit 2025 affirmed Africa’s role as a global center for solutions. From Addis Ababa, a clear narrative has emerged: Africa’s future is renewable, inclusive, and resilient. Achieving this future will require continuous collaboration, implementation, and accountability.