India, May 27 -- The United States' retreat from aspects of global climate and health leadership has exposed the risk Africa took in relying on external funding for these projects. When the US pulled back on aid, many African programmes and plans that relied on their funding, expertise, or political support had to abruptly end, leaving millions of people on the continent at risk of extreme poverty.

Yet it also created an opening. African institutions, governments, scientists and communities can now strengthen the continent's voice in climate and health governance.

African countries did not cause climate change. It was caused by greenhouse gas emissions from industrialised countries. Even today, Africa is only responsible for about 3 per...