Launch of the Pan-African Finance Ministers Forum for Climate Action – Lusaka Zambia

Finance Minister Matia Kasaija has applauded Africa’s collective resolve to place climate-responsive economic transformation at the centre of the Continent’s development agenda.

Kasaija who is also the Chair of the Global Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action said this forum will enable the leaders to speak with one voice, grounded in African priorities and realities, adding that it will promote peer-to-peer learning, strengthen institutional capacities, and ensure that Africa’s economic planning fully integrates climate risk, adaptation needs, and the opportunities presented by green growth.

The Uganda Finance Minister’s remarks were delivered on his behalf by Dr Albert Musisi, the Commissioner Macro-Economic Policy at Uganda’s Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development at the opening of the second meeting of African Ministers of Finance in Lusaka, Zambia.

The main objective of the Global Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action is to ensure that climate change actions are embedded in public finance management. It was designed to help finance ministries integrate climate action into economic policy, aligning national budgets with the Paris Agreement, promoting carbon pricing, mobilizing private finance, and sharing best practices for low-carbon and resilient economies.

“We see climate action as a catalyst for economic transformation, creation of jobs, and enhancement of food security, expanding clean energy access, and protecting the natural assets on which our communities depend. This meeting is therefore timely and urgent for the ministries of finance to use their fiscal power in shaping the macroeconomic, fiscal, and financial strategies for Africa to thrive,” said Kasaija.

Dr. Sam Mugume Koojo, the technical coordinator at the Secretariat for Uganda said some countries in Africa have advanced in green budgeting practices, strengthened climate tagging and also established climate finance units, green bonds and other innovative financing instruments.

Zambia’s Accountant General, Nsandi Manza who represented Zambia’s Finance Minister said the Continent is already feeling the impact of climate change with unprecedented intensity despite being rich in natural resources, renewable energy potential and human capital among other resources.

“The reality of climate vulnerability and climate opportunity defines the purpose of our meeting. Across Africa, droughts, floods, cyclones and food insecurity are no longer distant risks,” she said, adding that they are present and costly realities reducing Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP), straining public resources and undermining long term development gains.

Nsandi said Africa is central to the global solution, adding that there is opportunity to translate the potential into bankable and growth-enhancing economic strategies.