- COP28
- Energy and Climate
Fostering Africa-Europe energy cooperation: Implementing COP28 commitments and realising Africa’s energy transformation
- The Africa-Europe Foundation
Africa-Europe High-Level Policymaker Breakfast Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue, 20 March 2024
Co-hosted by AEF, AEEP, and BMZ
Fostering Africa-Europe energy cooperation: Implementing COP28 commitments and realising Africa’s energy transformation
The Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF) and the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP) are joining forces in convening a series of Africa-Europe high-level policymaker meetings focused on the cross-continental energy partnership. Building on the outcomes of the first meeting, on the side-lines of the inaugural Africa Climate Summit (ACS) in Nairobi, in September 2023, the second meeting will take place at the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD) in March 2024, to discuss implementation of the results of COP28 in Dubai, as well as the vision and ambition that emerged from the ACS.
On this occasion, AEF is partnering with the German Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The dialogue series occurs in-person, under Chatham House rules, and addresses key topics in the nexus of energy and climate, energy access and energy transition.
“Africa and Europe have built a web of energy partnerships in the last 15 years and continue to work closely to achieve universal access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all (SDG7), and to implement the two continents’ visions: the AU’s Agenda 2063 and the EU’s Green Deal.”
At ACS in September 2023, African heads of states put forward a bold vision for the development of an African energy system that increases energy access and boosts climate-positive growth, by for example increasing the continents renewable energy generation capacity from 56 GW in 2022 to at least 300 GW by 2030 and 760 GW by 2040.
In September, African energy ministers also ratified the Continental Power System Masterplan, which charts Africa’s Green Vision, creating one grid for one continent. Against this background, the EU remains committed to enhance the Africa-Europe partnership on energy, and to work towards a mutually reinforcing and secure energy future. At COP28, EU Member States announced a commitment of EUR 20 billion for the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI) for the period from 2021-2027, with the aim to support renewable energy, energy efficiency, the just transition, and the greening of local value chains in partnership with African countries.
The first AEF-AEEP policymaker dialogue in September 2023 focused on ways to optimise bicontinental partnership in the spirit of mutual respect and the recognition of the essential role of public, private and civil society actors. Attention now turns to jointly implementing the decisions and commitments delivered at COP28 and ACS, including the announcements to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency improvements, to transition away from fossil fuels and accelerate the mobilisation of finance for achieving SDG7.
The AEEP-AEF policymaker meeting on 20 March 2024, in Berlin, brings together public and private sector representatives to share their perspectives on how to deliver on these announcements, what is needed to create a positive investment climate and the role of Africa-Europe collaboration is in this process.