Speaking at the summit, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali emphasised that the East African country is working hard to realise its vision of a green economy that is resilient to climate change through practical policies, such as the initiative to plant 40 billion trees; the development of renewable energy with 98% of electricity coming from hydropower, notably including the Grand Renaissance Dam; and the reform of green transportation and smart cities.
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed also stressed that finance must be the foundation for climate action, and that Africa, with its vast forest reserves and high carbon absorption capacity, must have equitable access to global resources.
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Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone speaks at the opening ceremony of the P4G 2025 Summit. (Photo: DUY LINH) |
Meanwhile, Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone stated that this is the first time Laos has attended the P4G Summit and expressed appreciation for the forum's role in promoting green growth. He affirmed that green growth is a priority strategy in Laos' socio-economic development, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic and regional crises.
From the establishment of the Green Growth Committee in 2016 to the National Green Growth Strategy for 2030, Laos aims for sustainable development, poverty reduction, effective resource use, and environmental protection. Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone called on the international community to share technology, finance, and innovation such that developing countries can progress together.
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Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, delivers a speech at the opening ceremony of the P4G Summit. (Photo: DUY LINH) |
In her message at the summit, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Amina J. Mohammed warned that to keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5°C and to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), about 2.4 trillion USD needs to be mobilised annually for developing economies, including 1.6 trillion USD for clean energy transition and 250 billion USD for climate adaptation. “These are resources that we do have in our world today, however accessing them in a free and fair world is a challenge that we must all rise up to,” she emphasised. Therefore, she called on governments use the tools at their disposal tools and drive change with smart policies and reforms.
Ani Dasgupta, President and CEO of the World Resources Institute (WRI), also gives an emotional speech about the urgency of comprehensive green transition at the summit.
He stated that 90% of energy investments last year went into renewable energy, and 25% of vehicles sold were electric, which is a clear trend, but it is still not fast enough. He warned that there is no 'silver bullet' for the green transition. But if there is one, it is a completely new generation of partnerships between the public and private sectors.
He shared that the WRI has established a 75 million USD fund to help countries overcome barriers in finance, human resources, policy, and infrastructure for clean energy. According to him, P4G serves as a unique platform to connect businesses, investors, and governments, as evidenced by the over 500 million USD raised in the past five years, which has created thousands of jobs supporting workers in the journey towards green and sustainable development.
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Ani Dasgupta, President and CEO of the WRI speaks at the opening of the P4G Summit. (Photo: DUY LINH) |
From Africa to Southeast Asia, from policymakers to entrepreneurs, the opening session of P4G 2025 demonstrated a strong consensus that the green transition must be a global action, supported by robust financing, available technology, and creative and fair partnerships. As the host country, Vietnam was highlighted by many international delegates as a model for effective investment in green infrastructure and attracting clean energy FDI, showcasing the increasingly prominent role of developing economies in shaping a sustainable future.
The 4th P4G Summit, held from April 14-17, was hosted by Vietnam under the theme “Sustainable Green Transition: Putting People at the Centre”. The summit aimed to attract international resources for development, particularly in the areas of climate change mitigation, green transition, digital transformation, science and technology, and innovation to achieve the goal of net-zero emissions.
On April 16, many important events took place as part of P4G 2025. At the opening ceremony, General Secretary To Lam attended and delivered a policy message, while Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh made the opening statement for the summit.
