The Group Chief Executive Officer of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Nomsa Chabeli, has called for urgent and scalable climate financing solutions as the Africa Matters Summit continues in Johannesburg, SA.
Delivering the opening address under the theme “Financing Africa’s Recovery in the Context of Climate Change,” Chabeli highlighted the disproportionate impact of climate change on the continent.
Chabeli says, “Africa is at the forefront of climate impact. While our continent contributes the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, we bear some of the harshest consequences, including floods, droughts, food insecurity and economic disruption.”
She says while climate finance exists, access remains a major challenge for African countries.
“Climate finance exists, yet access remains constrained. Recovery cannot be delayed, it must mean resilience, growth and equity for Africa,” she says.
Chabeli emphasised the need for practical solutions to unlock funding and drive implementation.
Chabeli says, “We must align policy with capital, close project preparation gaps, unlock scalable financing mechanisms, and move decisively from pledges to deployment.”
She outlined three key priorities for the continent, resilience, growth and equity.
Chabeli says, “At the centre is resilience, ensuring African economies are climate proofed. Alongside this is growth, unlocking investment that drives jobs and energy access. And equally important is equity, ensuring access to capital reaches all communities, particularly the most vulnerable.”
Chabeli also highlighted the role of the public broadcaster in shaping climate discourse and awareness.
Chabeli says, “As SA’s public broadcaster, we recognise that climate change is not only an environmental challenge, but a defining development issue that demands informed, collective action. Our commitment to editorial independence, accuracy and integrity remains unwavering. We will continue to produce journalism grounded in fact that serves the public interest and supports Africa’s transition to a resilient and sustainable future.”
She urged stakeholders to ensure the summit delivers tangible outcomes, “Let this summit be remembered not for its discussions alone, but for the commitments we unlock, the mechanisms we design, and the capital we mobilise. Africa’s resilience, growth and equity depend on it.”
–WendyMothata/ChannelAfrica–
