President Paul Kagame joined world leaders at the opening ceremony of the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in the United Arab Emirates, on Friday, December 1.

The ceremony was attended by United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and UN Secretary General Antonío Guterres, among other world leaders.

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In an announcement on X (formerly Twitter), the UAE President whose country is hosting the COP28 climate summit announced the establishment of a $30 billion climate fund that aims to attract $250 billion of investment by the end of the decade

President Mohamed expressed his commitment to uniting the world to address shared challenges facing humanity.

Guterres emphasized the urgency of addressing climate change, stating: "We can&039;t save a burning planet with a firehose of fossil fuels."

He called for an accelerated and just transition to renewables, highlighting the need to phase out fossil fuels to meet the 1.5°C warming limit.

In a direct message to conference leaders, Guterres urged decisive leadership, stating: "Protecting our climate is the world’s greatest test of leadership. I urge you to lead; humanity’s fate hangs in the balance. Make this climate conference count."