BY Daniel Bampoe
Former Second Lady of Ghana, Hajia Samira Bawumia, participated in the “NextGen Forum” on the sidelines of the second Africa Climate Summit (ACS) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, engaging with young African leaders on climate action and sustainable development.
The forum, co-hosted by the Africa Women and Children Conference (AfriWOCC), Resilient 40, and the African Women Presence Initiative (AWPI), is part of a series of activities leading up to the second edition of AfriWOCC’s biennial conference scheduled for October 6–7, 2025, in Accra, Ghana.
Under the theme “Roots and Routes: Past, Present & Future of Africa powered by Africans, Driven by Sustainability,” the forum aimed to bridge Africa’s rich indigenous knowledge with innovative strategies to address the continent’s climate challenges.
Participants explored ways to leverage cultural heritage alongside modern technological solutions to drive sustainable development and environmental resilience across Africa.
Expressing her gratitude to the event’s partners, Samira Bawumia highlighted the pivotal role of collaboration in ensuring the forum’s success.
In addition to the NextGen Forum, Hajia Bawumia joined a high-level session titled “Financing Clean Cooking: From Pilots to Decisive Delivery”, which brought together leaders and policymakers to address sustainable energy access in Africa.
The session was co-organized by the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), UK International Development, Africa Climate and Energy Nexus, fsdAfrica, and Enabel.
The session featured several prominent African and international figures, including Kenya’s First Lady, Rachel Ruto; UK Climate Envoy, Rachel Kyte; Vice President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Mamo Mihretu; Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy & Food Security of Sierra Leone, Kandeh Yumkella; Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, Mary Warlick; and Mozambique’s National Director of Energy, Marcelina Mataveia.
The Discussions centered on strategies to scale clean cooking initiatives from pilot programs to wide-reaching, sustainable delivery mechanisms across the continent.
The Africa Climate Summit, a biennial event co-hosted by the African Union Commission and partner African states, serves as a platform to advance Africa’s climate goals, energy transition priorities, and sustainable development agenda.
For Samira Bawumia, participation in the summit represents a continued commitment to amplifying African voices in the fight against climate change while nurturing the next generation of leaders dedicated to sustainability.
