New York, 3 October 2022 – Leaders from Member States, the United Nations, the African Union and other partners from the Interdepartmental Taskforce on African Affairs (IDTFAA) continued their exchange on energy issues in Africa, discussing the way forward on energy access and just energy transition for the continent.
Together with a well-structured energy planning process anchored by a strong global support network, participants recognized the need to boost collaboration, knowledge sharing, private sector partnerships, governance and review mechanisms at the country level. This included a firm commitment to prioritise country level leadership in tackling the socio-economic challenges associated with the lack of equitable access to energy.
Opening the conversation , the United Nations Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Amina Mohammed, noted the changing global narrative on energy, where “more stakeholders are recognizing that energy transition in Africa starts with energy access.” The United Nations deputy chief also called for “sound and realistic energy plans informed by the current and future energy needs of every African country.”
Senior government officials from Benin and Rwanda also shared their countries’ experience on the interlinkages between energy access and sustainable development, paving the way for an engaged exchange on the importance of supporting the African common position on energy access and just transition.
Echoing the importance of an approach that emphasises engagement at the country level, Ms. Cristina Duarte, the United Nations Special Adviser on Africa, welcomed the momentum that the exchange has brought. She thanked participants for coalescing around the importance of energy planning and the design of a clear governance model on energy for Africa.