BLOG

Various geo-political and scientific developments are marking 2022 as a year of extreme acceleration of the global energy transition. This is especially true in the long-established partnership between Africa and Europe. Multiple unexpected challenges underline the need for well-aligned international collaboration to restore peace and prosperity. When it comes to energy, the urgency is top of mind, and emphasised by news events on a daily basis.

On the international front, climate science is increasingly informing long-term energy policy. Especially, the periodic Assessment Reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), calls us to ever-greater focus and innovation, redoubling our efforts with the interests of younger and future generations in mind. As this happens, enhanced long-term ambitions begin to effect change even in the short-term.  

The European Green Deal is an example of this ambition. Placing climate stability at the centre, it holistically pursues a prosperous and sustainable future for Europe as the first climate-neutral continent. In its external dimension it aims to partner with other regions for the same future. Africa is, also through the Comprehensive Strategy for Africa, acknowledged as a key partner on this journey. Africa’s strategic framework and vision, Agenda 2063, guides the development towards “the Africa we want” and likewise displays an interlinking of various development while showing the gravitas of ensuring a stable climate. 

The Africa-EU Energy Partnership, established in 2007, has been an early and enduring example of how central energy and climate are in the broader political partnership between the continents. It remains the vehicle for political dialogue and has proven highly influential. Its ultimate governance body is the periodic AU-EU Summit that took place for the 6th time earlier this year in Brussels and where the continents, in a final declaration, committed to a joint vision for a renewed and deepened political partnership.

In taking the AU-EU partnership forward, Europe will be guided by the Global Gateway strategy that aims to utilise investment to unlock sustainability and human wellbeing. The focus is on five investment priorities, with:

• Energy and climate, standing alongside
• education;
• transport
• health;
• and the digital sector.

On the African side, all these imperatives, along those of peace, economic development and gender equality, are likewise prominent in Agenda 2063. It reflects the growing ties between the two continents that is values-based and stresses the importance of the international order. The EU-Africa Global Gateway Investment Package (150 billion euros) is the Africa-focused component of the broader package and aims to support Africa for a strong, inclusive, green and digital recovery and transformation.

What we see is that the international community is placing sustainability at the heart of its future, with Africa and Europe as key members of this community. The AEEP Forum on 7 September 2022, will explore how the two continents’ parallel but different energy transition journeys allow for synergetic collaboration and can create enhanced outcomes for both continents. Significant funding is already ring-fenced to underpin these intentions with partnership-based action that can make green transitions in Africa and Europe a reality.

This blog is authored by the Africa-EU Energy-Partnership / Johan van den Berg, Head of Secretariat. This is the first article of a three-part series.