19 November 2025, Belém, Brazil: Leaders from African Island States called for the fast-tracked operationalization of the AISCC Regional Co-Investment Platform for Climate Finance and the Blue Economy as a key mechanism to scale climate finance, strengthen ocean governance, and foster regional collaboration, during the UNFCCC COP30 High-Level Dialogue on “Charting a Resilient Future for African Island States and SIDS: Accelerating Climate Finance and the Blue Economy.”
Jointly organized by the Governments of Seychelles and Guinea-Bissau, the African Island States Climate Commission (AISCC), and ECA, the event marked a significant step toward implementing the Guinea-Bissau Pathway, advancing the RESIslands Initiative, and operationalizing the Regional Co-Investment Platform. The Platform is designed to mobilize predictable, programmatic finance and strengthen multi-country climate and blue economy projects.
The Dialogue highlighted the growing role of African Island States within the global climate agenda at COP30. It brought together ministers, ambassadors, and heads of delegations from Small Island Developing States (SIDS), along with climate fund heads, UN agencies, and development partners.
The United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean, ambassador Peter Thomson, delivered the keynote opening remarks, highlighting the strategic leadership of island nations at the intersection of the climate and ocean crises. He emphasized global responsibility, declaring, “African Island States and SIDS sit on the frontline of the climate and ocean crises, but they are also sources of solutions—stewards of vital marine ecosystems and champions of the blue economy.” He called for predictable and scaled financing to match the ambition and urgency demonstrated by island governments in implementing resilience and ocean sustainability commitments.
Welcoming remarks were delivered by the Director of the Climate, Food Security and Natural Resources Division at ECA, Cosmas Ochieng, who recognized the leadership of the AISCC and the strong commitment of African Island States. He underscored the collective responsibility of the region and its partners, stating, “This dialogue is an opportunity to collectively address SIDS challenges, share solutions, and accelerate the actions needed to safeguard your communities and economies.” Ochieng reaffirmed ECA’s commitment to supporting island states through the RESIslands Initiative, which strengthens institutional capacity, resilience planning, early warning systems, and regional coordination. James Kinyangi of the African Development Bank and Samuel Ogallah of the African Union Commission also reflected on the region’s shared climate pressures and the importance of strengthened institutions to access and deploy climate finance effectively.
Member States shared perspectives on the region’s vulnerabilities and determination. Representing the Union of Comoros, the Deputy Director for Environment spoke on behalf of the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Aboubacar Ben Mahamoud, noting that “climate resilience is no longer an option; it is a collective responsibility and a survival imperative.” His remarks urged multilateral funds to simplify access procedures and support the Platform so that island states can act at the speed the crisis demands.
In the message from the Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Madagascar, Michaël R. Manesimana, it was emphasized that Madagascar’s rich ecosystems remain under severe climate stress, highlighting a need for sustained, coordinated investment. The message noted that “as the impacts of climate change intensify, this Co-Investment Platform represents a strategic opportunity to accelerate bankable blue economy projects and strengthen regional cooperation.”
The Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Cabo Verde to the United Nations, Tania Romualdo, reflected on recent extreme weather events affecting her country and called for collective solutions beyond national borders, including the Regional Co-Investment Platform. “What small island states are facing is not an abstract projection but the frontline of the climate crisis,” she emphasized, adding that “the operationalization of the AISCC Regional Co-Investment Platform is an important step toward correcting structural imbalances in access to climate finance and enabling programmatic, multi-country solutions tailored to the realities of island states.”
Maria Antonieta Alves Lopes, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Guinea-Bissau to the African Union, highlighted the country’s growing exposure to coastal erosion, rising seas, and saltwater intrusion. She welcomed the momentum generated by the RESIslands Initiative and affirmed that “its integrated approach—combining institutional capacity building, risk management tools, knowledge exchange and concept notes development—responds directly to our national priorities.” She confirmed Guinea-Bissau’s full commitment to advancing the Co-Investment Platform.
Speaking on behalf of Equatorial Guinea, the UNFCCC National Focal Point, Pedro Malavo, emphasized the urgency of global recognition for the country’s island status. He stated, “Equatorial Guinea seeks to be formally recognized as a Small Island Developing State,” noting that such recognition is essential for accessing climate finance aligned with its unique vulnerabilities. He also expressed his country’s support for the Regional Co-Investment Platform for African Island States.
The partner reflections segment brought together key SIDS climate partners, including Mathilde Bord-Laurans of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, Catherine Koffman of the Green Climate Fund, Rawleston Moore of the Global Environment Facility, Neha Sharma of the Adaptation Fund, Chitembo Kawimbe Chunga of the Climate Investment Funds, and Tim Hemmings, the United Kingdom Special Envoy for SIDS. They reaffirmed their commitment to supporting African Island States through greater flexibility, streamlined access to funding, enhanced readiness support, and alignment with island priorities, emphasizing that resilience, adaptation, and blue economy financing must be scaled rapidly to meet the urgency of the moment.
Closing the event, the Director General for Environment of Seychelles Justin Proper, on behalf of Chair of the AISCC, underscored the significance of coordinated island leadership, asserting that African Island States “have a clear roadmap for resilience and a united voice at COP30.” He highlighted the ongoing importance of implementing the Guinea-Bissau Pathway and the RESIslands Initiative, as well as the transformative potential of the AISCC Regional Co-Investment Platform for long-term action.
The High-Level Dialogue demonstrated strong support for the AISCC Regional Co-Investment Platform, which is designed to support national and regional institutions in accessing and managing climate finance, consolidating co-financing mechanisms, strengthening project pipeline development, expanding partnerships, and mobilizing investment for adaptation, resilience, and sustainable ocean-based economies. The Dialogue also called for renewed commitment to coordinated climate diplomacy, enhanced access to finance, and strengthened blue economy development across the region.
The AISCC, established by the African Union and chaired by Seychelles with Guinea-Bissau as vice-chair, is recognized as a critical continental mechanism for ensuring that African Island States articulate a unified voice within global climate and development agendas. Through its coordination role, the Commission has become a principal entry point for island-specific resilience strategies and blue economy partnerships. The AISCC Regional Co-Investment Platform is expected to serve as a transformative financing mechanism, enabling African Island States to move from project-by-project engagement to structured, long-term investment strategies.
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