Senior officials from Ghana and China will convene next week to strengthen bilateral cooperation on climate action and sustainable development, as both nations grapple with mounting environmental pressures.
The Ghana-China Climate Summit, scheduled for September 16 at 9am GMT in Accra, brings together ministers, ambassadors, and climate experts to explore collaborative approaches to addressing shared environmental challenges.
The Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory is organizing the strategic summit with support from the African Climate Foundation to strengthen bilateral cooperation on climate action and sustainable development, according to event organizers.
The high-profile gathering features Ghana’s Minister of State for Environment, Sustainability, and Climate Change, Hon. Seidu Issifu, alongside Chinese Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Tong Defa. Their participation signals both governments’ commitment to deepening environmental cooperation.
Additional speakers include Mrs. Allswell Abankwa, Head of Climate and Sustainability at the Bank of Ghana, and Sahele Fekede, Programme Manager for Energy Access and Transitions at the African Climate Foundation. Youth perspectives will be represented through Mabel Laryea from the Green Africa Youth Organization.
The summit’s timing coincides with intensifying climate pressures across both nations. Droughts in 2024 hit more than 11 million people in China, with over 1.2 million hectares of affected crops and direct economic losses exceeding $1.2 billion, while floods have already impacted 129,000 people across Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ghana as of July 2025.
China has emerged as a significant partner in Africa’s climate initiatives, providing technology transfers and financing for renewable energy projects across the continent. The bilateral summit format allows for focused discussion on specific cooperation mechanisms between the two nations.
Ghana’s participation reflects broader African engagement with Chinese climate initiatives. The West African nation has been exploring partnerships for solar energy development and sustainable agriculture practices as part of its climate adaptation strategy.
Professor Gordon Kwesi Adomdza, Executive Director of CRIES Africa, will contribute perspectives on climate research and evidence-based policy development. His participation underscores the summit’s emphasis on scientific approaches to environmental challenges.
The event occurs as global attention focuses on climate cooperation between developing nations. Traditional North-South climate finance mechanisms face scrutiny, prompting increased interest in South-South partnerships for environmental solutions.
Deborah Amoah-Awuah, Manager of Environmental and Sustainability Solutions at Greenland Bank, represents private sector engagement in climate initiatives. Banking sector involvement reflects growing recognition of climate risks to financial stability.
The summit’s virtual accessibility through the Africa-China Centre’s platforms enables broader participation from stakeholders unable to attend physically. This hybrid approach reflects pandemic-era innovations in diplomatic engagement that have persisted for practical reasons.
Youth representation through organizations like Green Africa Youth acknowledges that climate impacts disproportionately affect younger generations who will inherit long-term environmental consequences. Their inclusion signals recognition of intergenerational equity concerns in climate policy.
Both Ghana and China face distinct but interconnected climate challenges. Ghana confronts coastal erosion, changing rainfall patterns, and agricultural vulnerability, while China manages air quality concerns, water scarcity, and extreme weather events affecting its massive population.
The bilateral format allows for detailed discussion of specific cooperation opportunities that might be difficult to address in larger multilateral settings. This focused approach could yield concrete partnership agreements or implementation frameworks.
The summit builds on existing China-Africa cooperation mechanisms, including the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, which has increasingly incorporated climate themes in recent meetings. China will host the ninth China-Africa Youth Festival in September 2025, indicating sustained engagement across multiple sectors.
Ghana’s hosting of the summit reflects its position as a stable democracy in West Africa with strong institutional frameworks for international cooperation. The country has previously hosted significant multilateral events, demonstrating diplomatic capabilities for facilitating complex negotiations.
The private sector focus, represented by banking and sustainability professionals, suggests discussions will address practical financing mechanisms for climate projects. This approach moves beyond policy declarations toward implementation strategies requiring financial sector engagement.
Source: newsghana.com.gh
