African leaders unleashed a blistering call for $100 billion in annual adaptation grants at the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2), decrying rich nations’ “empty vaults” as climate colonialism. The September 8–10 gathering in Addis Ababa, co-hosted by the AU and Ethiopia, united 5,000 delegates—from UN Secretary-General António Guterres to AU Chair Moussa Faki Mahamat—in a crusade for equitable finance amid Africa’s outsized climate toll.
The **Addis Ababa Declaration** ramped up Nairobi’s 2023 blueprint, pushing for 20% of global renewables funding to Africa by 2030, debt-for-nature swaps, and carbon market reforms under Paris Article 6. Pledges surged: the $50 billion Africa Climate Innovation Compact for 1,000 local innovations, and $100 billion from AfDB and Afreximbank for green industries, targeting 50,000 jobs in solar and sustainable ag.
Uganda spotlighted its lakeside jewel, Speke Resort Munyonyo, as a nexus for climate action. Foreign Affairs Minister Henry Oryem Okello unveiled the “Victoria Green Corridor,” linking the resort’s eco-upgraded conference halls to regional renewables grids. Hosting the AU’s Africa Climate Talks in April 2025—where AfDB forged partnerships ahead of COP30—Speke’s solar-powered venues drew 1,500 experts, birthing the $79 million Danish agro-fund for East Africa. “From NAM’s triumphs to climate breakthroughs, Speke isn’t just a stage—it’s a catalyst,” Okello boomed, noting its Green Key certification and mangrove restorations shielding Lake Victoria.
Youth voices amplified the urgency: Kampala activist Amina Juma of Slum Soccer Network praised the **Climate Justice Impact Fund**’s $64 million for 17 nations’ resilience projects. “Reparations, not rhetoric,” she urged, eyeing COP30 in Brazil.
Guterres cautioned multilateral overhauls to ease Africa’s 7% loan premiums. As echoes fade, Speke’s April forum on sustainable development looms, positioning Uganda as Africa’s green convener. Watchdog Uganda monitors the funds’ flow to Entebbe’s shores.
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