COP26 Leaders’ Event: Africa Adaptation Acceleration Summit

Meeting Room 4, Zone F (Glasgow, UK)

2 November 2021, 14:15 GMT

Accelerating adaptation in Africa is a top priority deliverable for Glasgow, and driving broad-based implementation of resilience actions on the ground, a key follow-up agenda for COP26. 

Event description:

The future of Africa, given its high vulnerability to climate change, depends on global actions and firm resource commitments to support climate adaptation. The Africa Adaptation Acceleration Summit will be the high-level opportunity at COP26 for African and other global Heads of State and Government to announce new commitments towards building the resilience of Africa to climate change and the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP).

The Leaders’ Event will highlight existing adaptation solutions and successes in Africa, present new plans contained within Nationally Determined Contributions and National Adaptation Plans, and scale up and speed up the action, financing and partnership based on the AAAP and other regional initiatives.

Interventions from African Leaders, partner countries and international organizations will be invited across three interconnected themes of accelerating adaptation in Africa through the AAAP and launching a transition to net-zero and resilient economies on the continent. The three themes are Ambition, Financing and Partnerships.

The event will be held in person with contributions from leaders attending the World Leaders Summit in Glasgow as part of COP26.

Confirmed speakers

Host’s Keynote address

  • Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Chair of the African Union

Opening Keynotes

  • António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations
  • Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank Group
  • Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
  • Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization

Leaders’ interventions
Leaders from the following countries are expected to participate:

  • Angola
  • Botswana
  • Burundi
  • Cape Verde
  • Central African Republic
  • Comoros
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea Bissau
  • Kenya
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mozambique
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Rwanda
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Tanzania
  • Togo

Moderation

  • Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of Global Center on Adaptation

COP26 Leaders’ Event: Africa Adaptation Acceleration Summit Videos