Ethiopia to host 2027 UN Climate summit

Ethiopia is poised to host the 2027 U.N. Climate Change Conference (COP32) after African negotiators confirmed East Africa as the region’s candidate. Ethiopia submitted the only formal bid and secured backing from the African Group of Negotiators, in a move that would bring the summit to the Horn of Africa for the first time once the decision is formally approved.

The Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) welcomed the decision. In a statement, IGAD Executive Secretary Workneh Gebeyehu described the selection as a landmark achievement. “Ethiopia’s successful bid to host COP32 reflects its commitment to environmental restoration, resilience, and sustainable development,” Gebeyehu said.

Gebeyehu stressed that hosting COP32 would offer the IGAD region a critical opportunity to draw global attention to the worsening climate challenges facing the Horn of Africa, including recurrent droughts, climate-related displacement, and increasing pressure on food and water systems. “This conference provides a vital platform for our region to advance solutions rooted in experience, innovation, and collective responsibility,” Gebeyehu said. “IGAD stands with Ethiopia in delivering a COP32 that showcases Africa’s ambition, elevates regional priorities, and strengthens global solidarity in confronting the climate crisis.”

The Chairperson of the African Union (AU) Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, also congratulated Ethiopia on winning the bid. In a statement released Saturday, Youssouf said Ethiopia’s successful bid reflects Africa’s “unwavering commitment” to climate action and highlights the country’s long-established leadership in sustainable development. He praised Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government for pursuing large-scale climate initiatives, including nationwide reforestation efforts under the Green Legacy programme.

Youssouf noted that Ethiopia has repeatedly demonstrated its capacity to host major international gatherings, referencing its organisation of the Africa Climate Summit and several other high-level climate and development conferences. He said these events benefitted from Ethiopia’s “strong institutional foundations and organisational excellence.” With the AU headquarters and numerous international organisations based in Addis Ababa, the city is widely regarded as one of the world’s major diplomatic centres. Hosting COP32, Youssouf said, further reinforces Addis Ababa’s role in advancing global cooperation on climate issues.

The endorsement comes at a time when the Horn of Africa is experiencing some of the most severe impacts of climate change. Repeated droughts, erratic rainfall, and flooding have made the region one of the most climate-vulnerable in the world. Research indicates that the Greater Horn of Africa is expected to warm significantly faster than the global average, with major implications for rainfall patterns. According to regional climate models, when global temperatures rise 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, most of the region will warm by more than 1°C. Under a 2°C global warming scenario, temperature increases in parts of northern Ethiopia and Sudan could exceed 1.5°C.

These changes have negatively affected key sectors across the region. Rising temperatures, shifting rainfall patterns, and prolonged dry spells pose threats to agriculture, water resources, and public health — particularly in coastal zones, lake regions, and the arid areas of Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Sudan.

The Horn of Africa is also trapped in a cycle in which climate change worsens existing pressures, including economic hardship, political instability, and local tensions over natural resources. These stresses have contributed to displacement, strained livelihoods, and heightened competition over water and grazing land. Climate-related scarcity is understood to intensify the region’s already unstable security landscape. It is widely understood that climate-driven security threats fuel mass migration, strain humanitarian systems, and intensify geopolitical tensions — especially in the strategically vital Red Sea corridor.

The last time Africa hosted a COP summit, COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, it resulted in a historic milestone with the creation of the Loss and Damage Fund to support countries most affected by climate change. Advocates hope COP32 in Ethiopia could build on that legacy and drive further progress for the continent.

Although not yet officially announced, hosting a COP in the Horn of Africa, a region that contributes very little to global emissions yet suffers heavily from climate-induced crises, would offer an opportunity to spotlight its challenges and help shape the global climate agenda. Ethiopia, despite recent scrutiny over security concerns and internal conflicts, has positioned itself as capable of organizing major international events. The country recently hosted the Second Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) in Addis Ababa from September 8–10, 2025, convened by the African Union Commission. The summit, held under the theme “Accelerating Global Climate Solutions: Financing for Africa’s Resilient and Green Development,” brought together heads of state, civil society, youth, and development partners to advance African-led climate solutions and push critical climate finance.