Climate negotiators and government officials from Least Developed Countries (LDCs) have convened in Blantyre, Malawi, for a two-day climate change strategy meeting, with a call for the countries to move beyond grants and loans.

The summit marks the first major gathering of the group of 45 countries spanning Africa, the Asia- Pacific and the Caribbean since the Climate Change Conference of the Parties (CoP29) summit in Baku last year.

Delegates are expected to review progress, address key concerns and prepare for crucial climate negotiations in Bonn, Germany, later in June.

In his address, Natural Resources and Climate Change Minister Owen Chomanika challenged delegates to develop strategies that would assist their countries in graduating to middle-income status.

Chomanika said the countries needed to devise strategies to build resilience to climatic shocks and ensure sustainable agricultural productivity in order to progress from low-income to middle-income economies.

“We cannot remain in this group of least developed countries forever. That is why we need you, our experts, to strategise on how we can limit the effects of climate change on our economies, build resilience and find alternative ways of financing so that we graduate,” Chomanika said.

He added that the over one billion people living in LDCs continued to bear the brunt of the effects of climate change.

The minister called for real action to secure finance, ensuring that people have access to adaptation support and clean energy solutions.

“But grants and loans are not enough. LDCs must come up with sustainable ways of climate financing to achieve climate resilience,” he said.

United Nations National Adaptation Plans and Policy Adaptation Manager Paul Desanker said LDCs should also continue to push high-emitting countries to take responsibility for achieving the 1.5°C-compatible and climate-resilient pathway.

Desanker, however, agreed with Chomanika, saying LDCs must find ways of raising funds to support climate initiatives.

“We are reaching a point where LDCs cannot continue to burden themselves with loans and grants. There is a need for them to develop financial engineering solutions and explore alternative financing mechanisms such as carbon taxes and green bonds,” Desanker said.

During the meeting, delegates will also deliberate on how to access the $300 billion in annual climate finance pledged by 2035 and explore modalities for finalising the roadmap to mobilise $1.3 trillion in climate funding.

They will also discuss the issue of unlocking timely and effective support from the newly operational Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage.

In recent times, Malawi has been heavily affected by the consequences of climate change, with severe weather events—particularly tropical cyclones—becoming increasingly f