On June 15, 2026, the China-Africa Climate Change Response and "Africa Solar Belt" Capacity Building Workshop officially commenced in Suzhou. The opening ceremony was addressed by Mr. Lu Xinming, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Climate Change Response, Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China; Mr. Liu Xiaolei, Level-2 Inspector of the Department of Ecology and Environment of Jiangsu Province; Mr. Wang Zhengang, Deputy Secretary-General of the China Environmental Protection Foundation; and Mr. Di Weijie, Deputy Director-General of the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center. Mr. Justin Prosper, Director of Energy and Climate Affairs, Department of Energy and Climate, Ministry of Environment, Climate, Energy and Natural Resources of Seychelles, delivered a speech on behalf of the participants. A total of 22 trainees from 10 African countries—Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Gabon, South Africa, Zambia, Kenya, Malawi, Comoros, and Seychelles—attended the opening ceremony.
Deputy Director-General Lu Xinming noted that climate change is a common challenge facing all humanity. The Chinese government has consistently and actively promoted international cooperation on climate change, deepened South-South cooperation on climate, and advanced the implementation of the "Africa Solar Belt" project, with the aim of helping African countries enhance their climate response capabilities and pursue green and low-carbon development. He expressed the hope that all parties would strengthen exchanges and mutual learning, and jointly improve capacities in renewable energy development and climate governance.
Deputy Secretary-General Wang Zhengang stated that the China Environmental Protection Foundation (CEPF), as a 5A-level public foundation under the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, holds consultative status with both the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). With the support of Mr. Xie Zhenhua, former Special Envoy for Climate Change of China, CEPF established the "Zhenhua Green Transition and Sustainable Development Fund", which has made positive progress in policy research, local capacity building, international climate dialogues, and showcase at multi-lateral events. Leveraging this Fund, CEPF will actively respond to the "Africa Solar Belt" initiative, harness its strengths in public fundraising, project management, and international networking, explore low-carbon pilot demonstration projects in typical African regions, tell the stories of China-Africa joint green development, and demonstrate the unique value of Chinese civil organizations in global climate governance.
Deputy Director-General Di Weijie emphasized that the Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center has long been committed to promoting South-South cooperation on climate change, actively building international exchange platforms, advancing the establishment of the China-Africa Environmental Cooperation Center and the implementation of the "Africa Solar Belt" project, and providing support for developing countries to strengthen their climate response capacities. He expressed the hope that this workshop would deepen exchanges and cooperation between China and Africa in climate policy, technological innovation, and project practice, and jointly explore new opportunities for green and low-carbon development.
The workshop will be held from June 14 to 27, 2026, in Suzhou and Changzhou, Jiangsu Province. It aims to implement the Declaration on China-Africa Cooperation on Combating Climate Change, build consensus among African countries on climate response, share China's practical experience in climate mitigation and adaptation, deepen exchanges and cooperation between China and African countries in the field of climate change, further develop and implement the "Africa Solar Belt" project, expand the China-Africa climate cooperation network, and enhance the climate response capabilities of African countries.