Finance Minister Matia Kasaija has urged African countries to take bold and deliberate steps in tackling climate change through renewable energy, critical minerals, and climate-smart agriculture.
Speaking at the 6th East Africa Climate Finance Directors’ Level Meeting at Lake Victoria Serena Hotel in Kigo, Kasaija said Africa must move beyond ambitions and pursue “intentional, bold and accelerated climate action” across all key sectors.
He revealed that Uganda has already taken steps by launching a suite of climate finance strategies alongside the Country Climate and Development Report.
“This meeting provides an invaluable opportunity to harness our diversity of perspectives to develop innovative solutions that will benefit our people and generations to come,” Kasaija said. He added that the meeting also sets the stage for regional priorities to be presented at COP30 in Brazil.
The call comes at a time when East Africa is facing the brunt of the climate crisis, with prolonged droughts, floods, and erratic rainfall threatening food security, water supply, and livelihoods. Experts say scaling up climate finance is critical to building resilience in vulnerable communities and advancing sustainable development across the region.
The East African Climate Finance Directors’ platform, established in 2021, supports climate finance mobilisation efforts across the region. Uganda, Rwanda, Bangladesh, Fiji, and Jamaica are the five pioneer countries leading the initiative.
