'Africa suffers worst impacts of climate change'

ANKARA

Despite emitting the lowest amount of carbon per capita in the world, Africa suffers the worst of the impacts of climate change, including droughts and floods, locust and pest invasions, according to the head of the African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

Speaking at the Leaders Summit on Climate via videoconference on Thursday, Akinwumi Adesina said the AfDB has committed $25 billion to climate finance over the next four years.

"Our share of financing devoted to climate rose from 9% in 2016 to 35% in 2019 and we will reach 40% in 2021," Adesina added.

Gabon's President Ali Bongo Ondimba said the fight against climate change must be intensified and serve as a development opportunity for Africa.

"Developing countries often suffer the most from the devastating effects of climate change in the form of drought, extreme storms and rising sea levels," according to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

"Consequently, developed economies have a responsibility to support developing economies to enable them to mitigate and adapt to climate change," Ramaphosa added.

He said South Africa's emissions will begin to decline from 2025, effectively bringing the country's emissions decline a decade forward.

Ramaphosa called on all developed economies, which he said bore the greatest historical responsibility on emissions, to fulfill their responsibilities to developing economies.

"This will be vital to restoring the bonds of trust between developed and developing economies."

"As we have done since the time of Nelson Mandela, South Africa stands ready to work with other nations to build bridges to find solutions that secure humanity's future," he added.