African leaders on Thursday urged developed countries to deliver on climate finance commitments, ensure fairer access to funding and turn global pledges into concrete action, warning that vulnerable nations cannot shoulder the growing costs of the climate crisis alone.

Cote d’Ivoire’s Vice-President Tiemoko Meyliet Kone called for stronger international solidarity and greater access to climate finance at COP31 in Türkiye’s Antalya, saying African countries must address climate change without sacrificing their development aspirations.

“When the seasons become uncertain, it is the harvests that are jeopardised. It is incomes that disappear, and entire families who see their future threatened,” he said.

Seychelles

Vice President Alix Sebastien Pillay on Thursday called for urgent action to translate climate promises into concrete commitments and financial resources, warning that climate-related disasters place a disproportionate burden on vulnerable island nations.

“Commitments must turn into resources,” he said, calling for faster and more effective international support for climate-vulnerable countries.

Gabon

Gabon’s Vice President Hugues Alexandre Barro Chambrier called for predictable and equitable climate finance, saying countries protecting the planet’s ecosystems should not bear the financial burden alone.

Addressing the COP31, Chambrier urged fair recognition of the Congo Basin’s contribution to global climate stability and called on developed countries to honour their commitments to developing nations.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s Vice President Constantino Guveya Dominic Nyikadzino Chiwenga urged developed countries to deliver measurable climate finance and support a transition that expands energy access, creates jobs and accelerates industrialisation.

Addressing COP31, he said the commitment to mobilise at least $300 billion annually must translate into transparent financial flows, with developed countries taking the lead.

Guinea-Bissau

Guinea-Bissau Prime Minister Ilidio Vieira Te warned that climate change poses one of the greatest threats facing humanity, calling for adequate financing to help vulnerable countries confront its growing impacts.

He stressed that Guinea-Bissau was among the countries most vulnerable to climate change despite contributing negligibly to global greenhouse gas emissions.

Rwanda

Rwanda’s Prime Minister Justin Nsengiyumva called for predictable and accessible climate finance, urging investors to assess projects in developing countries on their merits rather than their location.

Addressing COP31, he said Rwanda’s third national climate plan targets a 53 percent reduction in emissions by 2035 compared with business-as-usual projections. Implementing the plan requires $12 billion in investment and substantial international support.

Mali

Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maiga on Thursday urged historically high-emitting countries to take responsibility for the climate crisis, warning that desertification, drought and environmental degradation threaten the country's development and livelihoods.

Maiga said Mali's development vision, aligned with the African Union's Agenda 2063, incorporated environmental restoration and sustainability while addressing the actual needs of its population.