France will give African countries two billion Euros ($2.1 billion) over the next four years to develop renewable energy and replace the fossil fuels that drive global warming, President Francois Hollande said Tuesday.

       Hollande spoke a day after more than 150 world leaders gathered for the start of the 12-day meeting tasked with beating back the threat of global warming and helping poor countries cope with its impacts.

       Helping the continent develop renewables is also a way to ensure its security, he said at his meeting with more than a dozen heads of state and government.