Has the Africa Climate Summit been “hijacked by foreign interests"?

At the beginning of August, hundreds of NGOs signed a letter to Kenyan President William Ruto, alleging that US and European governments and companies had "seized" the inaugural Africa Climate Summit due to begin in Nairobi on Monday 4th September, in order to "hijack Africa’s just energy transition".

Their criticism paid particular mention to international management consultancy McKinsey & Company, who were removed from the summit website and events calendar shortly after. Bertie spoke to one of the campaign leaders, Omar Elmawi, about these issues.

President Ruto has denied that the summit has been "hijacked by foreign interests", telling the BBC that "African people will truly be represented" at the summit. McKinsey declined to comment, or answer our questions, but directed us to this press conference, and the question at 0:57.

Further reading:

• You can find the 'Real Africa Climate Summit' campaign website here, which includes the original letter.
• 'Africa Climate Summit: Kenya’s green growth pitch sparks justice concerns', African Arguments, 21/08/23
• 'Why fury has met McKinsey’s return in Nairobi summit', Daily Nation, 15/08/23
• 'Omar Elmawi Believes In an Africa Free From Fossil Fuels', Sierra, 27/4/23
• The Big Con: How the Consulting Industry Weakens our Businesses, Infantilizes our Governments and Warps our Economies, Mariana Mazzucato and Rosie Collington, 2023
• On the Trail of Capital Flight from Africa, Léonce Ndikumana and James K. Boyce, 2022

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