Africa needs climate negotiators who understand science, policy and diplomacy — Experts
Climate experts have called for sustained investment in preparing young Africans with the technical knowledge and negotiation skills required to effectively represent the continent’s interests in global climate discussions.
They say Africa’s vulnerability to climate change, coupled with its youthful population, makes it urgent to develop a new generation of climate negotiators capable of engaging confidently in international decision-making spaces.
The experts made the call during the African Youth Negotiators Fellowship (AYNF) Cohort 5 training organized by the Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) in Accra.
The week-long training, held from July 4 to July 8, brought together young climate leaders from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia and Senegal, with others participating virtually.
Participants were trained on key areas including climate science, climate finance, climate justice, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) processes, Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, climate diplomacy and negotiation simulations.
The Chairman of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) and Director of Climate Vulnerability and Adaptation at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Nana Dr. Antwi-Boasiako Amoah, said climate negotiations are critical because decisions reached at the international level eventually influence national climate policies and actions.
He explained that a climate negotiator is someone who represents their country’s interests within the UNFCCC process and contributes to shaping global responses to climate change.
According to him, Africa’s large youthful population presents an opportunity to strengthen the continent’s voice in climate governance.
“The future of these discussions means that we need to bring young people into this conversation as a central part of it,” he said.
Nana Dr. Amoah stressed that young people must not only participate because of their numbers but must also acquire the technical understanding required to engage effectively.
He noted that climate change is a cross-cutting issue affecting different sectors of society and therefore requires young people with diverse expertise to contribute to solutions.
The climate expert encouraged the fellows to continue learning beyond the training and seek mentorship to deepen their understanding of climate negotiations.
He said previous initiatives have shown that young people who receive such exposure can go on to access opportunities and contribute meaningfully in climate spaces.
The Country Manager of the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN), Dr. Prince Ansah, said preparing young people for climate negotiations is essential because they are the generation that will experience the long-term consequences of decisions being made today.
He explained that youth participation must go beyond attending global conferences and should include the ability to influence decisions at local, national, regional and international levels.
“It would be a travesty if decisions that are made for the future are not inclusive of young people whom the future is for,” he said.
Dr. Ansah added that the training was designed not only to prepare young people for international platforms such as the Conference of Parties (COP), but also to enable them engage local governments and communities on climate action.
For participants, the training offered an opportunity to better understand the systems shaping climate decisions.
Emmanuel Kofi Mensah from Ghana said the programme strengthened his understanding of the relationship between climate negotiations, governance, and policy decisions.
He said knowledge gained from the training would help him contribute more effectively to climate advocacy and youth engagement.
“Knowledge is power. Once I have the knowledge, I know I have the power,” he said.
Similarly, Sarfoh Danquah, a Ghanaian climate adaptation advocate, said the fellowship helped address gaps in his understanding of international climate processes despite his previous involvement in climate action.
He described the experience as transformational, particularly because it combined theoretical knowledge with practical negotiation exercises.
Princess Kemdi Chika-Okafor from Nigeria said the interactive nature of the training, including negotiation simulations, helped participants build confidence.
She said the experience would strengthen her work addressing climate-related challenges affecting agriculture and communities in Nigeria.
The Executive Director of GAYO, Richard Matey, said Africa cannot afford climate participation that is merely symbolic.
He said the vision of AYNF is to build young Africans who can understand complex issues such as climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage and just transition, and translate them into meaningful action.