Ethiopia has won the backing of African nations for the hosting of the United Nation’s COP32 climate summit in 2027 after edging out a rival bid from Nigeria.
Richard Muyungi, the group chair of the African Group of Negotiators, told AFP that African nations expressed their preferences for Ethiopia to host COP32.
He noted that the matter was discussed by the African group in a meeting last week and Ethiopia was confirmed. “The AGN has endorsed Ethiopia,” Muyungi said.
An African negotiator familiar with the bidding process, who spoke with journalists, noted that Nigeria failed to resubmit its interest when the matter was raised during the AGN meeting.
Brazil’s COP30 presidency also confirmed the decision of Ethiopia, which still requires formal approval from all parties before the conference concludes on November 21 — a step widely expected to be a formality.
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“We are deeply grateful for the trust and confidence bestowed on the Ethiopian people and government,” Leulseged Tadese Abebe, Ethiopia’s ambassador to Brazil, told a plenary session of the COP30 summit.
“COP32 will play a major role in guiding climate action in this critical decade.”
COP summits rotate around the world’s regions, and the decision must be unanimous among all countries in the region.
However, the host country for COP31 is still to be decided between Turkey and Australia.
Africa has hosted the COP conferences five times, with Morocco (North Africa) hosting it twice – 2001 and 2016, Egypt (North Africa) in 2022, Kenya (East Africa) in 2006, and South Africa (South Africa) in 2011.
The event has never been hosted in the West African region of the continent. Nigeria would have been the first if it had been selected
