Ruto to Fly to Congo After New York

President William Ruto is set to embark on yet another foreign trip next week, continuing his streak of international visits that have sparked widespread attention.

This time, the Head of State will be flying to Congo-Brazzaville for a high-level meeting organised by the African Development Bank (AFDB). The gathering will bring together 14 select African leaders tasked with shaping the continent’s stance ahead of the COP29 climate summit.

This trip marks Ruto’s fifth international journey in September alone, following closely on the heels of his participation at the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Despite returning to Kenya only recently, Ruto is not slowing down as he gears up for a weekend departure to Congo.

His frequent travels have drawn mixed reactions back home with many Kenyans expressing frustration over the President’s focus on international matters while pressing domestic concerns remain unresolved.

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However, Ruto remains undeterred, emphasising the importance of positioning Africa strongly on the global stage, especially regarding climate change. During his address at the UN General Assembly, the president reiterated his commitment to leading Africa’s charge for climate justice. He highlighted that climate shocks are becoming more severe leaving African nations vulnerable, particularly when coupled with high interest rates and limited access to refinancing.

“High interest rates are strangling our efforts to tackle climate change. It is time for a fundamental shift in how Africa is viewed on the global economic stage,” President Ruto argued, adding that the international financial system must be reformed to facilitate Africa’s growth. He pointed out that Africa’s classification as a poor continent is misleading, especially given its immense natural wealth.

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Ruto’s upcoming visit to Congo will see him and other leaders refine Africa’s approach to the COP29 negotiations. The president is expected to work closely with the African Union Commission to streamline climate action efforts, ensuring that African voices are heard loud and clear during the global summit. He urged fellow leaders to align with the African Ministerial Conference on Environment and the African Group of Negotiators on Climate Change to present a unified front.

“Africa’s climate issues cannot be tackled in isolation. We must work together to ensure that our demands are met, especially in terms of financing for climate resilience and mitigation projects,” Ruto stressed.

The president also took the opportunity to shine a spotlight on Africa’s untapped potential in renewable energy. Despite being rich in resources, the continent attracts less than three per cent of global investments in renewables, a figure that Ruto finds unacceptable. He emphasised that with a population of 1.4 billion people, Africa only generates a meagre three gigawatts of renewable energy, compared to the rest of the world’s 500 gigawatts.

“How can a continent with such vast renewable energy potential be left behind?” Ruto questioned, adding that global investors must act now to correct this imbalance. He floated the idea of hosting an investment forum in collaboration with the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to catalyse partnerships for renewable energy development in Africa.

The Partnership for Renewables in Africa, an initiative launched at COP28, has already begun mobilising finance and technical support to boost the continent’s renewable energy capacity. Ruto’s meeting in Congo is expected to build on this initiative, with a focus on accelerating private sector involvement.