Seidu Issifu, Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, has called for urgent climate action, saying Africa’s resilience is “non‑negotiable” and requires bold financial commitments to safeguard the continent’s future.

Issifu made the call while speaking on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama at the African Leaders’ Meeting on Climate Adaptation in Nairobi, Kenya, convened under the chairmanship of Kenyan President William Ruto.

Addressing heads of state, government officials and delegates, he said Africa was facing “unprecedented climate impacts such as droughts, floods and rising temperatures, which threaten lives, livelihoods and our developmental gains.”

Issifu said outcomes from COP30, the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change held in Belem, Brazil underscored the urgent need for decisive action.

“Africa’s resilience is non-negotiable. The time for action is as urgent as yesterday,” he said. “We must translate climate action into tangible benefits for our people: food security, water access and economic opportunities,” he said.

He urged African leaders to unlock “high‑impact opportunities for resilience‑driven growth” by leveraging climate finance and strengthening partnerships with multilateral donors and the private sector.

Describing the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme (AAAP2.0) as “a beacon of hope,” he called for collective efforts to secure firm financial commitments.

The call for finance, he stressed, was not abstract and that “The need for this call became more critical at the just‑ended COP30 in Belem, where adaptation negotiations took a difficult turn.”

He noted concerns with the updated Global Goal on Adaptation text, saying the reduction of indicators from 100 to 59 was widely viewed as a step backwards.

Many parties questioned the technical soundness of the truncated list and the opaque process behind it, creating “trust deficits at this crucial moment.”

Although parties eventually reached an agreement after extended negotiations, Alhaji Issifu noted the overarching text contained “notably weak Loss and Damage language, omitting any reference to scale of needs or finance.”

He added that finance negotiations remained fragmented and that the proposed Article 9 work programme still does not meet developing countries’ request for a defined space to discuss delivery of public finance under the new goal.

Turning to Ghana’s domestic agenda, he said that despite global inconsistencies in climate finance, “our people are on the frontlines of climate change.”

He said Ghana was integrating resilience into national development plans, promoting green jobs and advancing a 24‑hour economy anchored on sustainability.

“Ghana’s 24‑hour economy agenda prioritises green growth, renewable energy and sustainable infrastructure...We are investing in solar, hydro and smart agriculture to power our future,” the minister said.

He acknowledged existing hurdles, including high costs, limited access to technology and unfair trade practices.

“This means that Ghana, and for that matter, individual African countries, cannot do it alone. We need peer and global support, fair financing and appropriate technology transfer,” he said.

Emphasising Africa’s disproportionate burden, he said: “Africa contributes less than 4% of global emissions but bears the brunt of climate impacts. This injustice must end. We need fair, accessible climate finance – not debt, not aid, but partnership.”

He said the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Programme offers a roadmap for a climate‑smart Africa but requires substantial resources.

“The AAAP2.0 is our chance to leapfrog into a resilient future,” he said.

“Let us mobilise $100 billion annually for African adaptation and mitigation. Let us make climate action a catalyst for Africa’s industrialisation. In this regard, we call on our partners to match their pledges with action,” he added.

He urged the meeting to adopt a bold communiqué to mobilise resources, saying: “Let us show the world that Africa’s climate resilience is non‑negotiable.”

Ghana remains committed to regional and global climate efforts, he said, expressing confidence that “together, we can build a climate‑resilient future for Africa.”

He also appealed to the younger generation to be innovative and lead climate action in their communities.