The United States' retreat from aspects of global climate and health leadership has exposed the risk Africa took in relying on external funding for these projects. When US aid was suddenly cut, programmes across the continent collapsed almost overnight, pushing millions of people closer to extreme poverty. It was a brutal reminder of how vulnerable aid dependence can make even well-designed initiatives.
And yet, something unexpected happened: the crisis created an opening. African institutions, scientists, and communities are now pushing to take greater ownership of climate and health governance. This matters enormously, because African countries bear the heaviest consequences of a crisis they barely contributed to — the continent produces only about 3% of global carbon emissions, while suffering intensifying floods, droughts, and heatwaves.
African countries have too often been on the back foot in responding to crisis, aid dependence and the growing effects of climate change. But the continent has remarkable, undervalued expertise. Morocco's evacuation of over 140,000 people ahead of devastating 2026 floods is a striking example of proactive disaster preparedness. Meanwhile, researchers have found that indigenous knowledge combined with formal science produces some of the strongest solutions for building resilience.
The world needs Africa's voice at the table — not just as a victim of climate change, but as a source of hard-won adaptation strategies. African-led research, early warning systems, and locally grounded indicators should be shaping global policy. The continent has decades of experience navigating climate volatility. It's time that knowledge got the recognition it deserves.
