Tanzania to Lead Africa's Health-Centric Climate Agenda at COP30 in Brazil

Tanzania Assumes Leadership for Crucial COP30 Negotiations

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – October 10, 2025 – The United Republic of Tanzania has officially announced its leadership of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), poised to champion a health-centric climate action agenda at the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The pivotal summit is scheduled to take place from November 10 to 21, 2025, in Belém, Brazil, with the Heads of State Summit occurring on November 6 and 7, 2025.

This significant role places Tanzania at the forefront of advocating for Africa's collective interests in global climate discussions, emphasizing the profound links between climate change and public health. The announcement follows a preparatory meeting held on October 7, 2025, where Engineer Cyprian Luhemeja, Permanent Secretary in the Vice President's Office, confirmed Tanzania's chairmanship of the AGN.

The African Group of Negotiators' Mandate

The AGN serves as a crucial coalition of African nations, working collaboratively to ensure that the continent's voice is heard and its priorities are addressed in international climate negotiations. As the second-largest negotiating bloc after the G77 plus China, the AGN plays a critical role in shaping global climate policies. Tanzania's Dr. Richard Muyungi, Climate Envoy and Advisor to the President on Environment and Climate Change, assumed the chairmanship of the AGN on March 17, 2025, a leadership role confirmed during a strategic meeting in Zanzibar from April 28-30, 2025.

Under Tanzania's leadership, the AGN aims to solidify a unified African agenda for COP30, focusing on:

• Increased funding for climate adaptation and mitigation projects.
• Technology transfer to support sustainable development.
• Capacity building to enhance Africa's ability to respond to climate challenges.
• Ensuring a just transition that addresses energy access for the continent.

Prioritizing Health in Climate Action

The decision to advocate for a health-centric agenda at COP30 builds on growing international recognition of the severe health impacts of climate change. Recent COPs have increasingly integrated health into their discussions. At COP28, 125 countries endorsed the 'Declaration on Climate and Health', marking a significant step towards placing human health at the center of climate action. Similarly, COP29 in Baku emphasized the continuity of climate-health initiatives, featuring a dedicated 'Health Pavilion' and the launch of the WHO's COP29 Special Report on Climate Change and Health, titled 'Health is the Argument for Climate Action'.

Experts and organizations like Amref Health Africa are actively developing curricula to equip African negotiators with the necessary technical and advocacy skills to integrate health considerations into climate policy and finance agendas at COP30. This approach underscores the urgent need to end fossil fuel reliance and ensure people-centered adaptation and resilience, as advocated by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Tanzania's Climate Vulnerabilities and National Efforts

Tanzania is highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, experiencing frequent droughts, floods, and sea-level rise, which significantly impact its agrarian economy and public health. In response, the nation has implemented various initiatives, including the National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) in 2007 and a National Climate Change Strategy in 2012. The country ratified the Paris Agreement in 2018, affirming its commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing resilience.

Key vulnerable sectors identified in Tanzania's national strategies include agriculture, water, and health. At COP30, Tanzania will also push for priorities such as clean cooking energy, climate finance mobilization, and building resilience across its ecosystems and communities.

Tanzania's leadership at COP30 signifies a determined effort by African nations to ensure that global climate solutions are equitable, adequately financed, and directly address the health and well-being of their populations, who are often disproportionately affected by climate change impacts.