AfDB Links Climate Action to Africa’s Development Priorities
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is turning climate action into a tool for Africa’s growth, combining innovation, data, and investment to tackle the continent’s escalating climate risks. According to Al-Hamndou Dorsouma, Manager of the Bank’s Climate and Green Growth Division, the Bank’s initiatives go beyond environmental protection—they also aim to strengthen financial systems, create jobs, and build infrastructure and value chains that can withstand climate shocks.
Under the leadership of AfDB President Sidi Ould Tah, the Bank has zeroed in on four strategic priorities: improving access to capital, reinforcing financial systems, harnessing Africa’s demographic dividend, and developing resilient infrastructure and value chains. Dorsouma explained that projects such as promoting the circular economy, delivering climate information services, and advancing green finance directly support these goals.
“These efforts show how the Bank combines innovation, information, and investment to drive large-scale climate action across Africa,” Dorsouma said. The Bank’s work is especially urgent given that African nations, despite contributing less than four per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, are already experiencing rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and growing vulnerability to climate impacts.
The AfDB recently highlighted this approach at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, using informal, coffee-style dialogues that gave participants direct access to Bank experts. Delegates described the sessions as practical, insightful, and innovative, demonstrating how climate solutions can be woven into Africa’s broader economic and development strategies.
Through these initiatives, the AfDB is positioning itself as a driver of actionable climate solutions—helping African countries build resilience while promoting sustainable economic and social progress across the continent.
