Ruto woos world leaders to adopt green agenda for Africa

President Willliam Ruto with UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during The United Nations Climate Change conference COP 27, at Sharm El Sheikh Congress Centre, Egypt on November 07, 2022. [PCS]

President William Ruto's three-day visit to Europe has largely focused on climate change.

Speaking yesterday during strategic dialogue on the African Climate Action Summit at the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA) in Rotterdam, Netherlands, Ruto saidAfrica should be regarded as a key player in mitigating effects of climate change.

"Africa is not coming to the table as a victim of climate change. Africa is coming with solutions." Ruto said.

The president implored his global counterparts to consider adopting use of clean energy that equally has great potential of offering solutions to power deficit.

"Adopting ecologically compliant energy, we can unlock huge potential of renewable energy, hydro, wind, solar and geothermal that are in abundance to help sought out the challenge of energy."

He called on developed nations to provide the required expertise to help tap Africa's renewable energy, saying that Africa has opportunities that should be utilised to thwart challenges of climate change.

At the same time, he urged leaders not to be consumed with blame games, and instead pay attention on how to go about the climate change mitigation strategies.

Ruto's attendance was a mobilization precursor to the forthcoming African Climate Action Summit slated for Nairobi from September 4-6 this year.

The head of state made his way to GCA in Netherlands after attending the coronation of King Charles III in London, UK.

He will later visit Israel, where he is expected to hold bi-lateral talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

While in the UK, Ruto said that climate change is a looming danger facing all nations, and that if the countries do not work together to solve it they will suffer together as a result.

"Climate change is a global threat to all nations; it is not about who contributed to it or not. It is about the dangers it poses to generations and how we can tackle it," said the president. He said the priority should be on mitigation measures and not pointing fingers at who contributed to it or not.

He further urged developed countries to provide financial aid and expertise in harnessing Africa's abundant renewable energy through adoption of ecologically compliant energy sources such as solar, hydro and geo-thermal.

"Africa is not coming to the table as a victim of climate change. Africa is coming with solutions to the problem," said the president.

The president addressed the issue during a strategic dialogue meeting on the African Climate Action Summit held at the Global Center on Adaptation in Rotterdam, Netherlands.