His Excellency Mohammed BS Jallow the Vice President of the Republic of The Gambia delivered a powerful address at the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS-2) in Addis Ababa, calling for urgent action
to bridge Africa’s climate finance gap and demanding that developed nations honor their commitments under international climate agreements.

Speaking on behalf of President Adama Barrow’s administration on Monday, 8 September, VP Jallow emphasized that while Africa contributes the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, it remains the most climate-vulnerable region in the world.

Africa Needs Climate-Resilient Development

“We are living through another year of records. Another year where rising global temperatures temporarily breached the 1.5 degrees Celsius survival limit,” Jallow told the gathering of African leaders and international delegates.

The Vice President stressed that Africa’s development must be both green and climate-resilient, calling for a fundamental shift in how climate finance is approached across the continent.
“Climate actions must be seen not only as a cost to our governments, but as a catalyst for resilience, growth, and long-term sustainable development,” he stated.

In a pointed critique of international climate finance mechanisms, VP Jallow expressed deep concern over the reluctance of some partner countries to engage meaningfully with Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement, which requires developed nations to provide climate finance to developing countries.
“Such reservations undermine trust, weaken ambition, and threaten the foundations of multilateralism,” he declared. “Africa must not be silenced on this matter.”

The Gambian Vice President outlined that The Gambia is exploring carbon markets with interest, but also with caution. “We will only engage in mechanisms that deliver net positive benefits, uphold environmental integrity, transparency, and respect our national development priorities,” Jallow
explained.

He emphasized that carbon markets must complement, not replace, traditional climate finance obligations from developed countries.

Call for Unified African Voice

VP Jallow urged African nations to present a unified front ahead of COP30 and other international climate platforms, positioning the summit as a springboard for collective action.

The Vice President concluded his address with a commitment that The Gambia, alongside other African nations, is ready to lead in climate action, calling for the transformation of “pledges into projects, strategies into services, and promise into progress.”

The Second Africa Climate Summit, held under the theme “Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development,” brings together African leaders to address the continent’s climate challenges and opportunities ahead of major international climate negotiations.