AMCENat40: Report on the 40th Anniversary of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment
Official report marking the 40th anniversary of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN). The report traces AMCEN’s journey since 1985, highlighting its leadership in shaping Africa’s environmental agenda. It showcases key achievements in policy harmonization, capacity building, and regional cooperation. The report also outlines future priorities including climate resilience, integrated ocean governance, and inclusive green and blue economies, affirming AMCEN’s continued role as Africa’s leading platform for environmental diplomacy and action.
The Twentieth Session of the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN-20) was held from 14-18 July 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya.
The theme for the session wass: “Four Decades of Environmental Action in Africa: Reflecting on the Past and Imagining the Future.” The session also marked the 40th anniversary of AMCEN.
AMCEN20 was an opportunity for ministers and experts to discuss and prepare Africa’s common position and engagement in upcoming global environmental fora including the 15th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands to be held in Harare, Zimbabwe; the Thirty-Seventh Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer to be held in Nairobi, Kenya; the 6th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP-6) to the Minamata Convention on Mercury to be held in Geneva, Switzerland; the 30th Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC (COP 30) to be held in Belem, Brazil; the 20th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES CoP20) to be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan and; the 7th United Nations Environment Assembly that will take place in December 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya under the theme “Advancing sustainable solutions for a resilient planet”.
In addition, the ministers and experts reviewed progress made in the implementation of the decisions adopted at the eighteenth and nineteenth ordinary and tenth special sessions of AMCEN and; identify and agree on Africa’s environmental priorities for the period 2025 to 2027. The session also consisted of dialogues on key accelerators for achieving the Agenda 2030 and Africa’s Agenda 2063. At the end of the conference, the ministers adopted the Tripoli Declaration, a set of decisions, and key messages reflecting the discussions under the various agenda items.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary of AMCEN (AMCENat40), a high-level special session was held on 18 July 2025. The high-level special session brought together high-level dignitaries from Africa and around the world who will deliver statements and participate in dialogues on environmental sustainability in Africa. The special session culminated in a high-level statement on AMCEN’s achievements over the last 40 years and policy recommendations on the “AMCEN we want” to address Africa’s environmental challenges in the future.
To register, click on the following link https://indico.un.org/event/1017388/
