Raila Odinga has pledged to make climate change a top priority if elected as the chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC). Odinga stands as Kenya’s candidate for the position, with the new chairperson due to assume their role in January 2025. He outlined his plans at Kenya’s official launch of the AUC candidate, emphasising his commitment to sustainable development policies, renewable energy initiatives and climate resilience strategies across the continent. Odinga also advocated for a collective approach to climate negotiations: “When we go to negotiate as Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, or Algeria, the offenders will not listen, but if we go as one Africa they must listen to us and we will get a fair deal over climate change. We need to make sure that Africa uses the resources that it has effectively. We need to also ensure that Africa trades with this wealth.”
