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Ghana has called on China and its African partners to translate climate finance commitments into bankable projects that create jobs, support green industrialisation and strengthen resilience to climate change.
The call was made by the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, Issifu Seidu, during a high-level discussion at the Ghana Pavilion in the Blue Zone of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Türkiye, on Wednesday.
The discussion, held under the theme, “Shared Future, Shared Prosperity: Aligning Climate Prosperity Plans with the Green Belt and Road”, focused on turning commitments under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) into viable investment projects across Africa.
“For Ghana, climate action is not charity; it is a strategic investment in our future,” Mr Seidu said.
He said climate investments should support industrialisation, create decent jobs, strengthen energy security and build a more resilient economy.
The Minister also highlighted Ghana’s role as host of the headquarters of the Climate Vulnerable Forum and the Vulnerable Twenty Group (CVF-V20), which advocate for countries facing significant climate risks.
He said the establishment of an Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability by President John Dramani Mahama was part of efforts to strengthen government coordination and leadership on climate action.
Ghana pushes for implementation of Africa-China commitments
Mr Seidu welcomed China’s commitment under the FOCAC Beijing Action Plan for 2025–2027 to support 30 clean energy and green development projects across Africa.
However, he said the partnership should be assessed by the projects delivered and the benefits they bring to African communities.
“The true measure of our partnership must be our ability to translate these commitments into bankable projects, mobilized finance, and tangible development outcomes,” he said.
With the action plan approaching its final year, he called for urgency in project preparation, investment mobilisation and implementation.
He identified Country Platforms and Climate Prosperity Plans as important mechanisms for helping African governments identify development priorities, prepare investment pipelines and connect projects to financing, technology and implementation partners.
The Minister also identified the Green Belt and Road Initiative as a potential channel for investment in renewable energy, climate-resilient infrastructure, sustainable industrialisation and green technologies.
He stressed that such investments must align with national development priorities, strengthen local capacities and deliver lasting benefits to communities.
Ghana calls for African ownership of climate investments
The Minister further called for practical outcomes from cooperation between the CVF-V20 and the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition.
He said the success of climate partnerships should be measured by the investments secured, jobs created and resilience built in vulnerable communities.
“Our success should be measured by the projects we developed, the investments we mobilized, the jobs we create, and the resilience we build for our communities,” he said.
Mr Seidu also stressed that African countries must take the lead in determining their development priorities rather than depend on externally designed interventions.
“Above all, let us ensure that African countries remain at the center of defining and driving their own development pathways,” he said.
He said climate cooperation would deliver greater value when financial commitments translate into viable projects, stronger local economies and measurable improvements in people’s lives.
Source: Bolgafmonline.com| 102. 7 MHz| Türkiye
