Africa-Press – Angola. Angolan President and Chairperson of the African Union, João Lourenço, on Monday defended the need for tangible commitments and adequate financing to face the climate crisis and improve global health, especially in developing countries.
The fact is expressed in the speech read by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Téte António, representing the Angolan Head of State, in a session dedicated to the Environment, COP30 and Global Health.
João Lourenço welcomed the holding of the next United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP30), scheduled for November in Brazil, underlining its symbolism for taking place 10 years after the Paris Agreement and 33 years after the historic Eco92, also organized in Brazilian territory.
“We look at COP30 as a decisive moment, in which we must take care of the implementation of the general decisions taken on climate”, he writes, advocating the strengthening of global political will, at the highest level, for the effective fulfillment of the obligations assumed under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement.
João Lourenço drew attention to the triple planetary crisis, climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution, and warned that the absence of adequate climate finance could lead to the worsening of the disproportionate impacts of the crisis in Africa, with negative consequences on a global scale.
“In Africa, many countries continue to struggle to implement their National Adaptation Plans, due to the scarcity of financial resources,” he stressed.
The President recalled that the continent, although responsible for only 4% of greenhouse gas emissions, continues to suffer disproportionately from the effects of the climate crisis.
Regarding the preparations for COP30, the Angolan statesman argued that the Conference must reach consensus around central themes such as climate finance, adaptation, reparation of loss and damage, just energy transition and the fight against deforestation.
He praised the strategic role of the Amazon in global climate regulation, highlighting the choice of Brazil as the host country of COP30 as “highly significant”.
Global Health and Transnational Solidarity
In the field of health, the Angolan President warned of the direct correlation between climate change and the increase in epidemiological outbreaks, especially in Africa, where dozens of episodes have been recorded annually, aggravating the already precarious health situation of many populations.
“These situations are very quickly becoming a global concern and, therefore, require coordinated transnational actions”, he stressed, recalling the positive example of global cooperation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
João Lourenço expressed his support for the Brazilian initiative, as current President of the BRICS, to create the International Alliance for the Elimination of Socially Determined Diseases and Neglected Tropical Diseases, a proposal that he considers “commendable” and “urgent”, taking into account that more than one billion people live with these diseases and 40% of tuberculosis cases are found in the BRICS countries.
He also highlighted the promising role of other initiatives within the BRICS, such as the strengthening of the Vaccine Research and Development Platform, the expansion of the Tuberculosis Research Network and the use of artificial intelligence in public health systems, as strategic instruments to strengthen international cooperation in the field of health.
Commitment to the future
In the final part of the speech, the President of the Republic reiterated the commitment of Angola and African countries to the objectives outlined in the African Union Agenda 2063, with emphasis on the promotion of climate resilience and the defense of a just energy transition.
“Only together can we achieve lasting results for generations to come,” he concluded.
The XVII BRICS Summit ended this Monday in Rio de Janeiro, under the rotating presidency of Brazil, having brought together Heads of State and Government of member and partner countries, with a special focus on sustainability, global justice and South-South cooperation.
The event was attended by the President of the Republic and the Union, João Lourenço, as a guest, having made his first speech on Sunday, 6.
The 17th BRICS Summit, under the motto “BRICS for sustainable growth and reformed global governance”, brought together the Heads of State and Government of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and the new member countries joining the bloc.
Created in 2009, initially as a group of large emerging economies, the BRICS was expanded in 2024 and now has 11 members, namely Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Indonesia and Iran.
In addition, countries such as Cuba, Nigeria, Vietnam and Bolivia are attending the event as observers or invited partners.
The BRICS objective is to strengthen cooperation between countries in the Global South, promote reforms in multilateral institutions, boost sustainable socio-economic development and advocate greater representation of emerging countries in forums such as the UN, the IMF and the World Bank.
The Rio de Janeiro meeting discussed topics such as global health, with a focus on diseases related to poverty and social inequality.
Another item on the agenda has to do with “Climate Change”, with the presentation of a joint climate finance plan aimed at developing countries.
The Governance of Artificial Intelligence, with the ambition to promote the ethical use of technology to reduce inequalities, also caught the attention of the participants.
BRICS member states and guests further looked at reforming the international peace, security and institutional development architecture of the New Development Bank (NDB).
The Brazilian presidency also proposed the renewal of a five-year Strategic Economic Partnership, focusing on the industrialization of the Global South.
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