Ruto’s Globetrotting Continues: Congo Next After New York Visit

President William Ruto is preparing for his fifth international trip this September, heading to Congo-Brazzaville for a high-level meeting organized by the African Development Bank.

This gathering will bring together 14 select African leaders to shape the continent’s position ahead of the COP29 climate summit. The trip follows Ruto’s recent participation at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Despite having just returned to Kenya, Ruto is set to depart for Congo over the weekend. His frequent travels have elicited mixed reactions domestically, with many Kenyans expressing concern over his focus on international matters while pressing domestic issues remain unaddressed. Nevertheless, Ruto remains resolute in his mission to strengthen Africa’s global position, particularly regarding climate change.

During his address at the UN General Assembly, Ruto reaffirmed his dedication to leading Africa’s pursuit of climate justice. He emphasized the increasing severity of climate shocks and their impact on African nations, especially when compounded by high interest rates and limited refinancing options. Ruto calls for a fundamental shift in how Africa is perceived on the global economic stage, arguing for reform of the international financial system to facilitate the continent’s growth. He challenges the classification of Africa as a poor continent, highlighting its substantial natural resources. The upcoming meeting in Congo will see Ruto and other leaders refine Africa’s approach to the COP29 negotiations.

The president is expected to collaborate closely with the African Union Commission to streamline climate action efforts and ensure that African perspectives are prominently featured during the global summit. Ruto urged his counterparts to align with the African Ministerial Conference on Environment and the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change to present a unified front. Ruto also drew attention to Africa’s untapped potential in renewable energy. Despite its rich resources, the continent attracts less than three percent of global investments in renewables, a statistic Ruto finds unacceptable.

He pointed out the stark contrast between Africa’s population of 1.4 billion people and its mere three gigawatts of renewable energy generation, compared to the rest of the world’s 500 gigawatts. To address this disparity, Ruto proposes hosting an investment forum in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency to foster partnerships for renewable energy development in Africa. The Partnership for Renewables in Africa, an initiative launched at COP28, has already begun mobilizing finance and technical support to enhance the continent’s renewable energy capacity. The meeting in Congo is expected to build upon this initiative, with a focus on accelerating private sector involvement.

The COP29 climate summit, scheduled to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan, from November 11-22, 2024, presents a critical opportunity for African leaders to advocate for meaningful change on a global platform. The summit will concentrate on promoting green growth and climate finance solutions for Africa and the world. African leaders are anticipated to push for increased climate finance, adaptation measures, and more equitable terms in the global financial system to support their climate resilience efforts. In preparation for COP29, African leaders have been actively participating in various forums to ensure their voices are heard.

The African Union leader’s summit in Nairobi earlier this month was a key event where strategies for presenting a unified front at COP29 were discussed. Additionally, the African Ministerial Conference on Environment and the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change have been working diligently to align their positions and demands.