February 19, 2025
Climate Action Network Africa (CAN Africa) extends its warmest congratulations to His Excellency João Lourenço, President of Angola, on assuming the Chairmanship of the African Union (AU). He succeeds H.E. Mohamed Cheikh El Ghazouani of Mauritania, who has led the Union since February 2024.
We also extend our congratulations to the newly elected leadership of the African Union Commission, including Chairperson H.E. Mahamoud Ali Youssouf, Deputy Chairperson Selma Haddadi, and the new Commissioners for the 2025-2028 term. Their election reflects the trust and confidence placed in their leadership by African Heads of State and Government, as well as the urgent expectation for bold, transformative policies that put people and the planet at the center of Africa’s development.
CAN Africa looks forward to working closely with the African Union Commission under the leadership of His Excellency Mahamoud Ali Youssouf to advance Africa’s climate and development agenda. It is imperative that the Commission strengthens policies and commitments that uphold climate justice, build climate resilience, and secure a sustainable future for all Africans.
In the spirit of Pan-African solidarity, CAN Africa urges the new leadership to champion the voices of African communities most impacted by the climate crisis and to push for fair climate finance mechanisms that enable Africa’s transition to a green economy. We also take this opportunity to acknowledge the outgoing Chairperson for his efforts in steering the Commission and laying the groundwork for future climate-responsive policies.
We stand ready to engage, collaborate, and support the African Union Commission in realizing the vision of an integrated, peaceful, and climate-resilient Africa.
Dr. Wafa Misrar, Policy Lead at CAN Africa, stated:
“The African Union Commission must lead in ensuring a just and inclusive transition that not only moves Africa away from fossil fuels but also prioritizes energy and food sovereignty, climate-resilient agriculture, and fair climate finance. This transition must be free from the burden of exploitative debt and empower smallholder farmers, local communities, and workers to drive sustainable solutions. The new leadership has the opportunity to enact policies that enable African nations to produce their own clean energy and food, reducing dependency on external actors and strengthening the continent’s resilience. We stand ready to support this vision and work towards a future that is both sustainable and just for all Africans.”
Aïssatou Diouf, CANWA Node coordinator said:
“The climate crisis and the other crises the continent is facing are converging and must be addressed together. The climate disasters the continent is experiencing require a predictable and collective response. The African Union Commission must support the continent in moving toward multidimensional transitions, particularly toward cleaner renewable energy sources for climate change mitigation and for strengthening the resilience of African communities. It is urgent for the African Union Commission to work with African countries on a credible, transparent, and just transition program that places people at the center.”
Arthur Larok, the Secretary General of ActionAid said:
“The new African Union leadership needs to vigorously pursue the reparations agenda – the continent is owed trillions of dollars in climate debt, slavery, and unfair global financial systems. African leaders must seize this moment and demand, with unwavering resolve, the payment of the $36 trillion in climate debt owed to the continent.
Beyond climate debt conversations, there is a need for comprehensive debt cancellation and the immediate establishment of a United Nations framework on debt to begin the process of undoing the crippling burden of foreign debt on African nations.”
Nnimmo Bassey, Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) said:
“The revelation by the outgoing Commissioner of Agriculture of the African Union (AU), Ambassador Josefa Sacko, about the meddlesomeness of philanthropic capitalists in African food systems is neither shocking nor surprising. We applaud her for the fight she put up while serving as commissioner and regret that the African Union could not muster a unified stand against genetically modified organisms (GMOs) on the continent. It is a shame that some African governments are easily bought out by neocolonial entities that do not wish the continent to be food secure or to enjoy food sovereignty. It is high time for the AU to stand up in defence of our environment and Biosafety, and to reject the false and mythical arguments used to promote GMOs on the continent. It is known that these artificial crops are not necessarily more productive than their natural counterparts.
In the past the Organization for African Unity- OAU (now AU) had a strong Model Biosafety Law that was to be adopted by nations and adapted to meet their peculiar situations. Today we have a biosafety regime that has gradually turned Africans into guinea pigs for transgenic experimentations. The continent is also being exposed to harmful herbicides and pesticides including those banned in Europe and North America.
While we welcome Ambassador Josefa Sacko’s denunciation of the situation, we call on the African Union to wake up to its responsibilities and fight to protect African biosafety and dance to the music of capitalist speculators who care nothing if our peoples and our environment.”
Kumi Naidoo, President, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative said:
“As Africa welcomes the new African Union leadership, it has the opportunity to invigorate efforts to address its most pressing challenges, key among them the climate crisis. This calls for concerted efforts to address the growing threat posed by fossil fuels, to frontline communities, while accelerating the continent’s shift to renewable-powered energy sovereignty. This should include advancing the proposal for a Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, to foster an equitable phase-out of fossil fuels as well as the financial and technological support Africa needs to transition to renewable energy. It’s time for African nations to unite in advocating for a fair and financed transition to secure a sustainable future for all.”
Dean Bhebhe, Senior Just Transitions and Campaign Advisor, Power Shift Africa said:
“The new AUC Chair takes office at a defining moment for Africa. With a G20 seat and Djibouti’s bold commitment to 100% renewables by 2035, the continent has a historic opportunity to lead in towards a green industrialization framework to meet the regions developmental needs while tackling the ongoing climate collapse. But to truly transform, Africa must break free from outdated economic and energy models like fossil gas and nuclear energy that deepen dependency. A genuine African renaissance demands leadership rooted in our histories, resources, and people’s aspirations. Agenda 2063 must be more than rhetoric, it must drive a just, green transition that prioritizes ‘well-being over-extraction’. This century must be Africa’s century, shaped by our own vision of progress.”
For media inquiries, please contact:
Wafa Misrar
wafa@can-africa.org
+212 654 142 906
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