From June 2–3, 2025, Ban Ki-moon Centre for Global Citizens (BKMC) CEO Monika Froehler and Communications Associate Maja Markus participated in the second Hamburg Sustainability Conference (HSC), advocating for African youth-led sustainable solutions and emphasizing the urgency of agricultural adaptation in the lead-up to COP30.
Held at Hamburg’s City Hall and Chamber of Commerce, the HSC brought together global policymakers, private sector leaders, academics, and civil society to foster dialogue and build partnerships for sustainable development. The conference, initiated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Michael Otto Foundation, the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), and the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), aimed to accelerate progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Throughout the conference, the BKMC championed the voices of African youth, particularly smallholder farmers and youth-led grassroots initiatives. They emphasized the importance of placing agricultural adaptation high on the political agenda.
CEO Monika Froehler and Maja Markus presented the BKMC’s “Elevating the Voices of Women in Agriculture (EVWA)” program during the conference’s “Solution Pitch” segment. They launched a new documentary featuring 2024 EVWA Champion Zuhura Ahmad and her seaweed farming project and highlighted the work of two previous EVWA Champions – bringing the program to a meaningful close.
The HSC offered a valuable opportunity to connect with like-minded stakeholders and advocate for increased attention to agricultural adaptation. In a bilateral meeting with Túlio Andrade, COP30’s Chief Strategy and Alignment Officer, CEO Monika Froehler discussed shared goals for COP30 and the concept of the Brazilian term global Mutirão – emphasizing the need for daily, inclusive action in the climate fight beyond high-level summits.
CEO Froehler also underscored the critical need to fund smallholder farmers at an open discussion during the panel “National Incentives for Investing in Global Benefits,” featuring Axel van Trotsenburg (Senior Managing Director, World Bank), Joyelle Trizia Clarke (Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment, Climate Action, and Constituency Empowerment, St. Kitts and Nevis), and Johann Saathoff (Parliamentary State Secretary, BMZ).
While meeting with Situmbeko Musokotwane, Zambia’s Minister of Finance and National Planning, Froehler highlighted the BKMC’s Zambian Youth AgriChampions and shared the Demand Paper developed by young African farmers – amplifying their priorities and grassroots contributions to climate adaptation.
The BKMC’s commitment to community-led agricultural adaptation and the call for stronger political and financial support at both national and international levels were further reinforced in an exchange with State Secretary Niels Annen and Federal Minister Reem Alabali-Radovan (BMZ). Froehler also engaged with Avinash Persaud, Special Advisor to the President of the Inter-American Development Bank, and María Fernanda Espinosa, former President of the United Nations General Assembly.
The conference concluded with a networking dinner aboard the Rickmer Rickmers ship, where CEO Monika Froehler connected with Mathias Mogge (Secretary General of Welthungerhilfe) and Marcel Engel (Executive Director, Global Compact), building on shared values and common goals.
This impactful mission trip reinforced the BKMC’s dedication to empowering youth-led sustainable initiatives in Africa and advocating for inclusive agricultural policies. The HSC served as a powerful platform to spotlight the role of young people and smallholder farmers in driving climate solutions and shaping policy.
Read the Demand Paper: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/68791666/youth-agrichampions-demand-paper-2024
Watch the documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr9vQvO41cg
Read the 2024 EVWA Champion’s story: https://bankimooncentre.exposure.co/she-shapes-nature
Look at the pictures from the HSC:
