A Gambian youth activist is helping bridge the gap between African climate concerns and global policy-making, thanks to a groundbreaking partnership between YOTA and the Ford Foundation.
Dawda Cham, selected through the Africa Youth Partnership for Climate Action, emerged as a key voice at the Regional Conference of Youth (RCOY) Africa 2024 which took place in Rabat, Morocco. As co-lead of the Policy Team, Cham spearheaded the development of the Regional Youth Statement, a crucial document that will influence discussions at the upcoming COP29 climate summit.
“The climate crisis in the Sahel region demands immediate attention,” Dawda emphasized during the conference’s closing panel discussion. His firsthand experience with climate challenges in The Gambia lent weight to his advocacy for resilience-building in vulnerable African communities, including empowering youth to participate in climate policy processes and important global climate events.
The Africa Youth Partnership, which spans five sub-Saharan nations including Ghana, Nigeria, The Gambia, Senegal, and Sierra Leone, represents a strategic effort to amplify African youth voices in global climate discussions. By supporting leaders like Dawda, YOTA is working to ensure that African perspectives shape international climate policy.
Beyond his policy work, Dawda took center stage in discussions about the UN’s Summit of the Future scheduled for September 2025, which aims to tackle pressing global challenges and chart a course for a sustainable and inclusive future. His co-facilitation of this session highlighted the interconnections between climate action and broader sustainable development goals.
“Youth engagement is not just about representation – it is about bringing fresh perspectives and urgent action to the climate crisis,” said Dawda, as he presented the final Regional Youth Statement of Africa to the partners and delegates at the closing ceremony. The statement reflects the collective aspirations and demands of African youth in the lead-up to COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Dawda Cham’s impactful participation at RCOY 2024 demonstrates a shifting paradigm in climate policy development, where young African leaders are increasingly taking the helm in steering global environmental discussions. As COP29 approaches, his work exemplifies how grassroots African youth leadership can influence international climate action.
