Zuma says Africa to push for finance at Copenhagen

Zuma is to attend the Copenhagen climate summit next week, along with about 100 world leaders.

South African President Jacob Zuma on Tuesday urged African leaders attending global climate talks to stand firm on demands that poor countries should receive money to meet pollution targets.

- We will go to Copenhagen next week and strongly push our position as the African continent - Zuma said in the Zambian capital Lusaka, where he was on a state visit.

- Developing countries will commit to nationally appropriate mitigation action to achieve a decline in their emissions -- on condition that they receive finance, technology and capacity building support from developed countries - Zuma said.

Zuma is to attend the Copenhagen climate summit next week, along with about 100 world leaders.

South Africa has offered to slash the growth of its greenhouse gas emissions by 42 percent by 2025, if the rich world offers adequate finance and technological help.

The foreign ministry said in a statement Tuesday that wealthy nations should devote 0.5 to 1.0 percent of their gross domestic product per year, by 2020, to help poor nations cope with climate change.

UN climate chief Yvo de Boer on Sunday called for developed countries to fast-track more immediate aid of 30 billion dollars to help poorer countries ease carbon emissions and shore up defences against climate change.

De Boer said disbursement of the funds over the next three years could help seal a historic deal as funding was one of the thorniest issues at the 12-day climate talks that opened on Monday.