President William Ruto has renewed Kenya’s commitment to the Green Climate Fund (GCF), aiming to boost financing for climate-resilient agriculture and low-carbon development. This comes as African nations push for expanded climate financing amidst increasing climate change impacts.

• The GCF is the world’s largest dedicated climate fund, having approved over $16 billion globally for adaptation and mitigation projects.
• President Ruto met GCF Executive Director Mafalda Duarte during the 39th Summit of the African Union in Addis Ababa.
• Agriculture contributes roughly one-third of Kenya’s GDP, making the economy highly vulnerable to climate variability.

President William Ruto has urged African banks to finance the local pharmaceutical industry to bolster Africa’s health security and independence. He emphasized that Africa can no longer depend on imported health commodities, which lead to high costs and supply chain disruptions.

• If Africa manufactured half of its imported health products, it could save between $30 billion and $50 billion annually.
• The President called on continental financial institutions, including the African Development Bank and Afreximbank, to convert commitments into practical projects.
• President Ruto, as the African Union Champion for Local Manufacturing, proposed an extraordinary summit later this year to work towards producing at least 60 percent of Africa's health products locally by 2040.

During the 39th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday, President William Ruto presented his report on African Union Institutional Reforms. This report proposes strengthening the AU's peace, security, and governance efforts, notably by scaling the African Union Peace Fund.

• President Ruto proposed increasing the African Union Peace Fund from $400 million to $1 billion.
• The report calls for a dedicated support structure within the African Union Commission for the Panel of the Wise and aims to strengthen preventive diplomacy.
• Ruto suggested leveraging internal resources and African financial institutions to fund Agenda 2063 priorities and proposed decisions for February 2027 regarding restructuring AU organs.

President William Ruto stated that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) could boost Africa's GDP by approximately $1.4 trillion by 2045, urging a decisive shift from negotiation to implementation to deliver tangible benefits.

• The AfCFTA is projected to increase intra-African trade by up to $3 trillion and raise Africa's cumulative GDP by about $1.4 trillion between 2021 and 2045.
• President William Ruto chaired the Inaugural Committee Meeting of Heads of State and Government on the Implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
• The committee, also attended by Presidents Évariste Ndayishimiye of Burundi and Duma Boko of Botswana, and Secretary-General Wamkele Mene, will prioritize close partnership with the private sector, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).