On Wednesday, November 11, 2026, Ghana’s Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, Seidu Issifu, used the opening session of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey, to press for a more concrete translation of China‑Africa green development pledges into bankable projects. The call came as part of a high‑level engagement at the Ghana Pavilion under the theme “Shared Future, Shared Prosperity: Aligning Climate Prosperity Plans with the Green Belt and Road.”
Issifu highlighted China’s commitment under the Forum on China‑Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Action Plan for 2025‑2027, which aims to support 30 clean‑energy and green development projects across Africa. He described the partnership as an opportunity to deepen cooperation but warned that success hinges on moving beyond pledges to projects that can attract investment and deliver measurable benefits. With the FOCAC Action Plan entering its final year, he stressed the urgency of accelerating implementation.
The minister identified Country Platforms and Climate Prosperity Plans as key mechanisms for turning national development priorities into credible investment pipelines that connect projects with financing, technology and implementation partners. He also underscored the Green Belt and Road Initiative as a vehicle to boost renewable energy, climate‑resilient infrastructure, sustainable industrialisation and green technologies across the continent, insisting that such investments reflect each country’s priorities, strengthen local capacities and bring lasting benefits to communities.
Issifu called for tangible outcomes from the partnership between the Climate Vulnerable Forum and V20 (CVF‑V20) and the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition. He urged that progress be measured by projects developed, investments mobilised, jobs created and resilience built within communities. On Ghana’s domestic agenda, he noted the country’s work to translate its Nationally Determined Contributions, National Green Finance Taxonomy and institutional coordination into practical action, citing President John Dramani Mahama’s establishment of a dedicated Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability.
Ghana, which hosts the headquarters of the Climate Vulnerable Forum and V20, reaffirmed its commitment to supporting climate‑vulnerable economies across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Issifu framed climate action as a strategic investment in Ghana’s future rather than charity, pointing to its potential to accelerate industrialisation, create decent jobs, strengthen energy security and build a resilient economy. He also highlighted the importance of affordable climate finance and debt sustainability for vulnerable economies pursuing ambitious climate and development objectives.
The engagement was part of broader COP31 discussions on strengthening international cooperation, mobilising green investment and ensuring that climate commitments translate into practical interventions that support sustainable development. Issifu urged African countries to remain central in defining and driving their development pathways, insisting that international partnerships must deliver meaningful cooperation and shared prosperity.
