African Union and ACBF train over 80 diplomats to strengthen Africa’s position in global carbon market negotiations and climate finance.
The African Union (AU) and the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF) have begun training African diplomats to strengthen the continent’s position in the rapidly expanding global carbon market.
More than 80 ambassadors, senior diplomats and policy experts participated in the programme held at the AU headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
The training marks a major step in implementing the Africa Action Plan on Carbon Markets, adopted by the AU Assembly in 2025 to ensure African countries derive greater economic and environmental benefits from international carbon trading.
The initiative comes as decisions reached under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement at the COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, are expected to expand global carbon markets and unlock climate finance for developing countries, including those in Africa.
According to a statement signed by Fatou Diouf, Head of Communications and Influencing at the African Capacity Building Foundation, the seminar was designed to strengthen the technical and negotiating capacity of African diplomats ahead of future international climate negotiations.
Speaking during the programme, the AU Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, Moses Vilakati, stressed the need for a coordinated continental approach.
“Our collective approach must continue to be guided by our continental frameworks,” Vilakati said.
He added that strong governance, transparency, free, prior and informed consent, and legally enforceable benefit-sharing mechanisms were essential to ensure carbon markets deliver meaningful benefits to African countries and local communities.
Participants examined African-led carbon credit projects, the differences between compliance and voluntary carbon markets, and international regulatory models, including the European Union’s Emissions Trading System.
Discussions also focused on protecting community rights, maintaining environmental integrity and ensuring carbon revenues support climate adaptation, sustainable development and local economic growth.
Special Adviser to the ACBF Executive Secretary and Head of the Foundation’s AU Liaison Office, Ambassador Laho Bangoura, said Africa must strengthen its human capacity to maximise opportunities in climate finance.
“As climate finance becomes increasingly central to Africa’s development agenda, capacity development must remain at the heart of our response,” Bangoura said.
Organisers said the training would help African countries negotiate more effectively, present a unified position and secure better outcomes as global demand for high-quality carbon credits increases.
The programme received support from the Government of Azerbaijan through the Azerbaijan International Development Agency.
Carbon markets enable countries and companies to buy and sell carbon credits generated from activities that reduce or remove greenhouse gas emissions, including forest conservation, renewable energy and sustainable land management.
Although Africa possesses vast carbon sequestration potential, it currently accounts for only a small share of the global carbon market.
Experts believe stronger regulation, improved governance and enhanced negotiating capacity could help African countries attract billions of dollars annually in climate finance while promoting environmental protection, job creation and sustainable development.
