African Union appoints Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate to champion youth voices across Africa

African Union appoints Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate to champion youth voices across Africa

The Ugandan activist and founder of the Rise Up Movement will help strengthen youth participation in African Union decision-making, building on her campaign for climate justice and greater representation of African voices.

Ugandan climate activist Vanessa Nakate has been appointed African Union (AU) Special Envoy for Youth, putting a prominent advocate for climate justice and African representation at the centre of efforts to strengthen young people's participation in continental decision-making.

AU Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf announced the appointment on Thursday, citing Nakate’s advocacy for climate justice and her efforts to amplify the voices of young people, particularly in Africa and the Global South.

“Africa’s youth are not merely the leaders of tomorrow; they are indispensable partners in shaping the continent’s future today. Vanessa Nakate’s record of advocacy for climate justice and her commitment to amplifying young people’s voices make her well placed to help strengthen the African Union’s engagement with youth across the continent,” Mahmoud said.

Nakate began her climate activism in January 2019, organising protests in Kampala after becoming concerned about the effects of climate change on communities in Uganda. She became the country’s first Fridays for Future climate striker, joining a growing international movement demanding government action on the climate crisis.

She later founded the Rise Up Movement to increase the visibility of African climate activists in international discussions, arguing that the experiences of communities across the continent must not be overlooked.

Her profile rose internationally in January 2020 after she was cropped out of a photograph featuring other young climate activists, including Greta Thunberg, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Nakate publicly criticised the incident, drawing attention to the exclusion of African voices from global climate coverage.

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Beyond advocacy, she established the Vash Green Schools Project, which seeks to install solar panels and clean cooking stoves in Ugandan schools. The initiative combines environmental action with efforts to improve energy access and learning conditions for children.

In September 2022, UNICEF appointed Nakate a Goodwill Ambassador, providing her with another platform to highlight the effects of climate-related droughts, food insecurity and water shortages on children and vulnerable communities.

She has also served on the board of the Malala Fund, an organisation working to advance girls’ education.

Nakate holds a degree in Business Administration from Makerere University Business School. She is also the author of A Bigger Picture, a book examining climate activism and the need for a more inclusive movement.