Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi, has outlined the country’s priorities for the global climate finance system during his address at the COP29 conference.
Speaking to journalists in Baku, where he is representing President William Ruto, Mudavadi stressed the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to make global financial structures more accessible, effective, and equitable in addressing climate change.
“We expect a re-engineering of the financial architecture to make it more friendly, accessible, and effective in combating climate change,” Mudavadi told reporters, highlighting Kenya’s call for a more inclusive and efficient climate finance framework.
Kenya’s delegation, led by Mudavadi and Environment Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, has been vocal in advocating for a climate finance system where polluters bear a larger financial burden, and those most affected by climate change, particularly in developing nations, receive adequate compensation.
“Polluters should pay more, and those who suffer the consequences of climate change should be compensated,” Mudavadi added, echoing Kenya’s demand for increased financial support for vulnerable nations, especially those in Africa.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary noted that wealthy nations and major polluters must contribute more to addressing the global climate crisis.
Mudavadi’s remarks come amid rising concerns that developing countries, particularly in Africa, are not receiving sufficient funding to address the impacts of climate change.
Kenya, along with other African nations, has called for the establishment of an annual $1 trillion adaptation fund by 2030 to support vulnerable countries in building resilience against climate impacts such as droughts, floods, and extreme weather events.
Additionally, Mudavadi emphasized the need to activate the long-term pandemic fund, an initiative designed to support climate-affected communities and help them recover from environmental crises.
He also urged for simpler processes to facilitate easier access to carbon credits, which many countries struggle to obtain due to bureaucratic hurdles.
“We are looking forward to the activation of the long-term pandemic fund, as well as a streamlined process to facilitate easier access to carbon credits,” Mudavadi said.
Kenya has long advocated for climate justice, with President Ruto positioning sustainability as a key national agenda.
The government’s climate action strategies focus on adaptation, helping vulnerable communities cope with the impacts of climate change, particularly in sectors like agriculture, which has been severely affected by changing weather patterns.
The Prime Cabinet Secretary’s call for greater financial reforms resonates with broader discussions at COP29, where global leaders are negotiating solutions to the climate crisis.
This year’s conference, often referred to as the “finance COP,” has placed a strong emphasis on securing financial support for developing nations to mitigate and adapt to the escalating impacts of climate change.
African nations, in particular, have united in pushing for $1 trillion annually in adaptation funding by 2030, aimed at addressing urgent needs in agriculture, health, and infrastructure.
Mudavadi’s remarks reflect this collective push for more accessible and effective climate finance to ensure that the world’s most vulnerable countries are not left behind in the fight against climate change.
