The need for Africa to unite in solidarity to forge a climate resilient, equitable and a sustainable future for all in the continent was emphasised at the Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) 2025 co-convened by the United Nations in Nigeria and Sterling One Foundation
Speaking at the Summit, which held on 10 – 11 July 2025 in Lagos, the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General. Amina Mohammed in a video message, said: “Africa is stepping up with vision, leadership and courageous solutions. Now it is the turn of the international community to rise to the occasion. Let us unite in solidarity to forge a climate resilient equitable and a sustainable future for all.”
She explained that Africa required a renewed surge of global solidarity from governments, development banks, the private sector and philanthropic organisations to unlock the finance, the technology, and the partnerships essential for transformative change across the continent.
She disclosed that: “Our UN Resident Coordinators and Country Teams are diligently collaborating with governments and the private sector to support nationally led initiatives that would translate plans and action, and ambition to the tangible impact on the ground.”
On the progress so far made in the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), she noted that: “As we stand, five years away from the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals, it is imperative to recognize that our progress is faltering and in many instances regressing, rising debt, declining investment, dwindling aid, and the escalating impacts of climate change are hindering the very nations that have contributed the least to these crises.”
The UN Deputy Secretary-General said 3 billion people reside in countries that allocate more resources to interest payments than to vital sectors like health and education. This, she said, was an untenable situation.
She recalled that during the recent 4th International Conference on financing for development, world leaders came together to adopt the Seville Commitment which delineates three urgent priorities: first, catalysing large scale investment for sustainable development, second, addressing the intertwined debt and development crisis and third, reforming the international financial architecture to better serve the most vulnerable among us central to this commitment must be robust climate action.
Mohammed on climate change and energy access, said that Africa was already grappling with the dire consequences of the climate crisis, yet it was also a continent rich in innovation, resilience and visionary leadership.
She explained that: “The Mission 300 initiative aimed at connecting 300 million people to affordable reliable and clean electricity exemplifies how climate action can align with sustainable development, moreover, through nationally determined contributions.”
She further emphasised that “African nations are crafting blueprints for a just transition integrating climate objectives with energy, food systems, job creation and inclusive economic growth, however, the ambitious goals we set must be met with commensurate support.”
