The African Union Commission has launched a continental energy transition strategy aimed at accelerating a just and inclusive shift to cleaner and more efficient energy systems across Africa.
The African Energy Transition Strategy and Action Plan was unveiled at the African Energy Efficiency Conference, which concluded late last week, according to a statement seen Tuesday.
The roadmap prioritises clean cooking, cross-border power trading, energy efficiency, innovation and capacity development, and is expected to underpin multi-billion-dollar investments by African countries.
Delegates at the conference adopted a communiqué committing African Union member states to scale up energy efficiency initiatives across sectors including electricity, industry, buildings, transport, agriculture and household appliances.
The strategy aligns with targets under the African Energy Efficiency Strategy to raise Africa’s energy productivity by 50 percent by 2050 and 70 percent by 2063, in line with a global pledge to double energy efficiency improvements by 2030.
African Union Commission chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf said the continent faced a stark energy paradox, with about 600 million people lacking access to electricity and nearly 900 million still dependent on biomass for cooking.
Energy efficiency is Africa’s “first line of defence” against energy poverty, he said, arguing it could boost productivity while lowering costs and addressing the twin challenges of affordability and energy security.
African leaders formally endorsed the African Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan in February at the 38th Assembly of the African Union, providing political backing for the continent’s long-term energy transition goals.
