On the sidelines of the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey, Guinea and Djibouti signed a cooperation agreement on Friday, November 13, 2026. The agreement focuses on sovereign carbon initiatives and carbon market development. It aims to enhance cooperation between the two countries through sharing experiences, technical expertise, and institutional knowledge in climate finance. The accord was signed by Guinean Environment and Sustainable Development Minister Fassou Théa and his Djiboutian counterpart, Mohamed Ahmed Awaleh.
The agreement seeks to promote harmonized sovereign carbon initiatives tailored to each country's national priorities. According to the press release, this cooperation is part of an African dynamic to strengthen states' sovereignty over their carbon resources and facilitate access to climate finance. Djibouti was the first African country to establish a sovereign carbon initiative in 2023, based on the polluter-pays principle. This mechanism requires greenhouse gas emitters in the maritime transport and aviation sectors to contribute, with the generated resources supporting climate adaptation efforts and the country's ecological and energy transition.
Djibouti's initiative has inspired other African states, including Gabon, which developed a similar initiative in 2025, and Liberia, which did so recently with the support of the Africa Sovereign Carbon Registry Foundation. This foundation promotes a harmonized mechanism at the continental level. The growing adoption of this approach by several countries reflects the emergence of an African coalition focused on climate justice, carbon sovereignty, and better access to dedicated climate finance.
The agreement between Guinea and Djibouti illustrates South-South cooperation, where African states aim to develop common solutions, valorize the continent's carbon potential, and enhance their capacity to mobilize resources for sustainable development. This dynamic takes on particular significance as COP32 approaches, scheduled for 2027 in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. African countries intend to promote concrete and harmonized mechanisms for climate finance and carbon sovereignty.
The African continent aims to leverage its carbon resources to support development while addressing climate change. By strengthening cooperation and adopting harmonized approaches, African countries can enhance their sovereignty over carbon resources and improve access to climate finance. This cooperation also reflects a broader commitment to climate justice and sustainable development.
As the African coalition around climate justice and carbon sovereignty grows, countries like Guinea and Djibouti are taking concrete steps to develop their carbon markets and enhance climate finance. This agreement sets a positive precedent for future collaborations and highlights the importance of South-South cooperation in addressing global climate challenges.
Key points
- The agreement between Guinea and Djibouti aims to strengthen carbon sovereignty and climate finance in Africa through cooperation on sovereign carbon initiatives and carbon market development.
