• Press Release

Africa-Europe Foundation partners on the UN-backed Sustainable Energy for All Forum in Kigali


The Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF) is a leading strategic partner of this week’s landmark Sustainable Energy for All (SEforAll) Forum, taking place in Kigali, Rwanda from 17 to 19 May.

For this first African edition of the SEforAll Forum co-organized with the government of Rwanda, global leaders from governments, businesses, development institutions and civil society will discuss on how to accelerate progress towards the delivery of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) to end energy poverty and advance a just energy transition.

AEF has played a key role in the agenda-setting and will bring together key members of its dialogue platforms and global networks.


Key moments in the programme include:

Day 1 - Tuesday 17thMay 2022

11:00 – 12:30 “We the inheritors”. A special session with young AEF energy champions together with senior leaders from the AEF High-Level Group

17:15 – 18:30 “Clean cooking must be a global right”, promoted by global partners and AEF as a critical area of cooperation cutting across sectors including Energy, Gender and Health.

Day 2 - Wednesday 18thMay 2022

8:45 – 10:30 AEF moderation of the outcomes from the Africa and Asia-Pacific Ministerial Roundtable

11:00 –12:00 Special multi-generational roundtable on Africa-Europe energy cooperation- Connecting present generations for a sustainable energy future

15:30-16:15 Ukraine’s implications for Africa-Europe energy cooperation

Day 3 - Thursday 19thMay 12, 2022

14:00-17:00 Meeting of the AEF Women Leaders Network


Participants from the AEF members include, but are not limited to: Mary Robinson, first woman President of Ireland, Chair of the Elders and Honorary President of the Africa-Europe Foundation; Dymphna van der Lans, CEO of the Clean Cooking Alliance and member of the AEF Women’s Leaders Network; Laurence Tubiana, CEO of the European Climate Foundation (ECF),) and member of the Africa-Europe Foundation’s Women Leaders Network; and Tariye Gbadegesin, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the ARM-Harith Infrastructure Investment LTD, and member of the Africa-Europe Foundation’s Women Leaders Network.

“I am pleased to count on the support of both the Africa-Europe Foundation and its Women Leaders Network to advocate for a strengthened cross-continental clean energy partnership whilst ensuring just and equitable energy transition pathways for African economies.”

Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for SEforAll and Co-Chair of UN-Energy, and member of the AEF Women Leaders Network, said: “I am pleased to count on the support of both the Africa-Europe Foundation and its Women Leaders Network to advocate for a strengthened cross-continental clean energy partnership whilst ensuring just and equitable energy transition pathways for African economies.”

Paul Walton, Executive Director of the Africa-Europe Foundation, added “The SEforAll forum takes place at a pivotal moment for our global community and the Africa-Europe partnership in the face of crises impacting on energy access, transition and sustainability. In this context we are committed to working with the SEforAll team in identifying pioneering practices which can be scaled up across borders and enlarging the space for young energy champions to inspire new avenues for partnership”.

The forum will be in a hybrid format and the Africa-Europe Foundation will be widely sharing the links to follow the sessions via its social networks and channels.

Contact us

For more information on the Africa-Europe Foundation or for interviews inquiries, please contact:
Holy Ranaivozanany, Head of Outreach, Advocacy and Partnerships - holy.ranaivozanany@africaeuropefoundation.org

Raphael Danglade, Senior Programme Manager for Energy & Agri Food Systems - raphael.danglade@africaeuropefoundation.org

Note to editors

About the Africa-Europe Foundation:
The Africa-Europe Foundation is co-founded by Friends of Europe and the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, in partnership with the African Climate Foundation and the ONE Campaign. The purpose of the Africa-Europe Foundation is to facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogue, catalyse partnerships and unlock new opportunities that can transform Africa-Europe relations into action.

About the Women’s Leaders Network:
The Africa-Europe Foundation Women Leaders Network (WLN) brings together leading personalities from the neighbouring continents to transform dialogue into action on the most pressing issues of the day, from much-needed job creation, to improved healthcare systems and tackling the climate emergency. The Women Leaders Network was launched on the initiative of the honorary Presidents of the Foundation: Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former President of the Republic of Liberia and Nobel Laureate, and Mary Robinson, first woman President of Ireland and Chair of the Elders. For more information about the Members of the WLN please click here.

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