Nairobi: The Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, represented His Majesty King Mohammed VI on Tuesday in Nairobi at the 4th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Congo Basin Climate Commission (CBCC) and the Blue Fund for the Congo Basin. Akhannouch attended the summit alongside the Minister of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali. The event was held in anticipation of the Donors’ Roundtable for the Blue Fund, scheduled for May 26, 2026, in Brazzaville.
According to Agence Marocaine De Presse, the meeting is expected to endorse the resource mobilization strategy and the political and technical documents resulting from the preparatory process. During the Summit, Akhannouch highlighted Morocco’s commitment to supporting the Congo Basin Climate Commission as a model of African climate governance, collective action, and continental solidarity. He noted that the Commission emerged from the visionary leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and his African counterparts during the African Action Summit in Marrakech in 2016, alongside COP22.
Akhannouch stated that the Congo Basin Climate Commission represents Africa’s resolve to address climate challenges through innovative regional mechanisms. He commended the progress made, including the establishment of the Blue Fund for the Congo Basin, adoption of governance instruments, and strengthening of strategic partnerships. He emphasized that Morocco is proud to be a founding partner of the Commission and the Blue Fund, reinforcing its commitment through political advocacy, expertise sharing, and financial contributions.
The Head of Government reiterated the importance of Africa crafting its solutions, tailored to its realities and driven by its institutions. He highlighted the strategic significance of the 2023 Summit of the Three Basins in Brazzaville, which fostered an alliance among major forest basins: the Congo Basin, the Amazon, and Southeast Asia’s forests. Akhannouch stressed the need for unified advocacy for equitable climate governance and financing.
Morocco fully endorses this strategic alignment, believing it enhances Africa’s stance in international negotiations and promotes fair financing mechanisms for forested regions. Akhannouch noted that the 2025 Marrakech Declaration’s ESG framework can bolster project credibility and attract sustainable investment.
He emphasized that the current Summit marks a pivotal transition from strategy to tangible outcomes. With structured, credible, and bankable projects, the Congo Basin is poised for action, unified in purpose. The upcoming Donors’ Roundtable in Brazzaville will test the collective resolve to ensure effective governance of the Blue Fund.
Akhannouch called on technical and financial partners, development banks, climate funds, the private sector, and all stakeholders to support the Blue Fund’s Investment Plan. The Donors’ Roundtable aims to finalize resource mobilization strategies and related documents, marking a crucial step in the process.