- Nankabirwa stressed the need to finance the adoption of renewable energy.
- Activists call for a withdrawal in Uganda’s oil exploration.
Ruth Nankabirwa, Uganda’s Minister of Energy and Mineral Development, stated during a joint ministerial roundtable at COP27 that the energy transition process for Africa should be encouraged rather than compelled.
African stakeholders calling for Africa to play a significant role in the energy transition received a response from Nankabirwa.
“We want the world to understand the challenges of economic development that Africa is facing. Even the cities that have developed most of them started by using their natural resources. Our message to COP27 is that a transition cannot be forced; it can only be facilitated,” minister Nankabirwa told a joint ministerial roundtable at the Africa pavilion at COP27.
Nankabirwa stressed the need to finance the adoption of renewable energy.
“Countries that have discovered oil are excited to develop it; they expect to get money to invest in clean energy. It requires heavy investment. Renewable energy is not cheap; if you are to do solar panels and store it so that you can use it at night, the tariff is so high,” Nankabirwa said.
Environmental activists have called for pressure on various parties, such as Total E&P, to withdraw from Uganda’s oil exploration process. However, if somebody leaves, the government won’t be left in a bind, Nankabirwa cautioned.
“We won’t get stranded now that we have started. We will look for money from countries that understand and appreciate the challenges of Africa,” she said.