In a landmark decision at the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2), African leaders have officially adopted the Addis Ababa Declaration on Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development, alongside the Flagship Report of African Climate Initiatives. The move cements Africa’s position at the forefront of the global climate agenda.

The Declaration underscores Africa’s determination to shift from being portrayed as a climate-vulnerable continent to one of leadership and innovation. Leaders pledged to champion Africa-led solutions, including the launch of the Africa Climate Innovation Compact, a bold framework to drive homegrown responses to the climate crisis.

A central focus of the Declaration is the recognition of nature-based solutions as the gateway to climate resilience and sustainable green development. Ethiopia’s Green Legacy Initiative, which has planted billions of trees in recent years, was hailed as a continental model for ecosystem restoration and climate action.

The leaders also called for strengthened and sustained support to scale up Africa’s existing climate initiatives, including:

• The African Union Great Green Wall Initiative
• The African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative
• The Ethiopian Green Legacy Initiative

Through the Addis Ababa Declaration, African leaders sent a clear message to the international community: Africa will no longer be defined solely by its climate vulnerabilities but by its leadership in charting a path to resilience, equity, and sustainable development.

The Declaration closes with a call for climate justice, fair financing, and recognition of Africa’s homegrown solutions on the global stage, positioning the continent as a critical driver in shaping the world’s climate future.