Morocco has placed African cooperation at the centre of the fight against climate change with the launch of the ClimAfrica 2025 Forum, ahead of COP30.
Opening the event in Skhirat, Moroccan Minister of Equipment and Water, Nizar Baraka, called on African nations to strengthen partnerships and investments aimed at building sustainable resilience.
He highlighted the critical role of early warning systems in mitigating the impact of natural disasters.
“Strengthening South-South cooperation and involving the private sector are essential to mobilize financing, develop new climate services, and build local capacity,” he said, praising the African Centre of Meteorological Applications for Development (ACMAD) and the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts.
He also urged multilateral banks to increase their support.
Baraka stressed that many African countries remain vulnerable due to weak monitoring and warning systems, exposing populations to deadly floods, droughts, and heatwaves.
Morocco, through its General Directorate of Meteorology, presented itself as a regional model, ready to share expertise and infrastructure with neighbouring countries.
Meanwhile, Minister of Industry and Trade Ryad Mezzour highlighted the connection between industry and climate action, calling it “the engine of African growth by 2030.”
He pointed to Morocco’s investments in renewable energy and green hydrogen, advocating for their use in decarbonised industrial development that simultaneously generates jobs.
Ko Barrett, Deputy Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization, emphasised the urgency of providing every African with access to an early warning system by 2027.
She noted that only 23 countries currently have comprehensive systems and encouraged the adoption of digital tools such as the open-source platform ClimWeb.
The ClimAfrica 2025 Forum, bringing together political leaders, experts, and regional institutions under the theme “From risk to resilience: meteorology and innovation for early warning systems in Africa,” aims to become a continental benchmark for climate resilience.
By fostering collaboration between states, regional organisations, and the private sector, Morocco seeks to position Africa as a global leader in climate innovation and environmental risk management.
The forum reflects a growing recognition that collective action, technological innovation, and strong partnerships are crucial for safeguarding Africa against escalating climate threats.
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