Addis ababa: Nana Dr Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, the newly inducted Chairman of the African Group of Climate Negotiators (AGN), has initiated a series of strategic engagements with key partner organizations to bolster cooperation. This is part of a broader effort to enhance institutional coordination aimed at advancing Africa's shared position under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in accordance with the decisions and priorities established by the African Union (AU) Assembly and the Committee of African Heads of State and Government on Climate Change (CAHOSCC).
According to Ghana News Agency, the bilateral meetings took place on the sidelines of the 39th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. During a visit to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) office in Addis Ababa, the AGN Chair and his delegation collaborated with the institution to underscore the vital role of partnerships in implementing climate action aimed at fostering resilience and sustainability.
Madam Lisa Lim Ah Ken, Senior Specialist for Climate Action at IOM, welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed the organization's commitment to supporting Africa's climate agenda through ongoing collaboration, technical engagement, and institutional partnership. She remarked, "Africa has all the ingredients for its own independence. It has everything it needs, but it has not realized itself yet."
Further discussions were held at the United Nations Office to the African Union (UNOAU) with Mr Parfait Onanga-Anyanga, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General to the AU and Head of UNOAU. The discussions focused on the intersection of peace, security, and climate change. Meanwhile, at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Dr Rose Mwebaza, Director for Africa, and her team engaged with the AGN Chair to develop a two-year plan aimed at enhancing Africa's coordination, technical preparedness, and political engagement in global climate negotiations.
Nana Dr Amoah highlighted the critical importance of strategic institutional cooperation in amplifying Africa's collective voice and advancing the continent's priorities in multilateral climate processes. He stressed that improved coordination with both continental and international partners is essential to ensure that Africa's climate interests are well-represented in global climate governance frameworks.
The Africa Group of Negotiators, operating under the political guidance of the AU's African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) and CAHOSCC, remains instrumental in coordinating Africa's unified negotiating position and promoting the continent's interests across key thematic areas such as adaptation, climate finance, just transition, and sustainable development.
Accompanying Nana Dr Amoah were Ms Stella Okoh, Personal Assistant, and Mr Xolisa Ngwadla, Technical Advisor to the AGN Chair. Senior officials from IOM's Addis Ababa office were also in attendance.