Accra hosted the first China-Ghana Climate Summit on Tuesday, a meeting designed to open a new chapter in bilateral environmental cooperation. The meeting brought together political, diplomatic and economic representatives with the aim of placing climate change at the centre of relations between the two countries.
The Chinese ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, stressed that Beijing has intensified its climate cooperation commitments to developing countries in recent months. He recalled that the South-South strategy has enabled African nations and small island states to improve their resilience to extreme events.
During his speech, Tong confirmed that China will promote a dozen joint programmes with Africa over the next three years. These include clean energy projects, early warning systems and new initiatives to protect biodiversity, as well as the creation of mechanisms to respond to natural disasters.
Ghana's Minister of Climate Change and Sustainability, Issifu Seidu, argued that climate action is at the top of the national agenda. In his opinion, the summit not only strengthens ties with China, but can also become a benchmark for international cooperation based on inclusion and equity.
Seidu also put forward the idea of organising a climate business summit that would allow Ghanaian and Chinese companies to showcase innovations in renewables, circular economy and sustainable infrastructure. The aim would be to attract green investment and open up a space where youth and startups have a leading role.
The meeting, promoted by the Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory, concluded with the willingness of both parties to translate commitments into tangible projects. With this, Ghana aims to consolidate itself as an African platform for Chinese green investment, while Beijing seeks to strengthen its role as a strategic partner in the continent's climate transition.
Source: spanish.xinhuanet.com; africachinacentre.org