- UNDP launched the Africa Renewable Energy Forum (AREF) at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, under the theme “Powering Development”.
- Global support for the continent must recognize that our clean energy future depends on uniting our current efforts on energy.
Africa’s population is rapidly growing and is projected to grow to 2 billion by 2050. Two of every five children worldwide will be born on the continent. The future of these young people will depend greatly on getting the transition to a greener, cleaner, abundant and sustainable energy right. Access to energy is a pre-condition to development and will power Africa’s industrialization while creating future jobs and reducing vulnerability to external shocks.
The UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa, in partnership with the African Influencers for Development (AI4Dev), UNDP Africa’s private sector partnership platform, and the Africa Business Council (ABC), launched the Africa Renewable Energy Forum (AREF) at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt under the theme “Powering Development”. The launch was hosted at the Climate Action Innovation Zone by the Africa Finance Corporation and had the participation of captains of industry, private sector leaders, and senior officials of the United Nations and the African Union to define actions and strategies needed to set the continent on a sustainable energy pathway.
Ahunna Eziakonwa, UN Assistant Secretary-General and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Africa, said, “Africa is a critical actor regarding Climate Action, and we now have the opportunity to power green development on the continent. We must scale up our initiatives, secure a just energy transition and sustainable finance that will allow Africa to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change while accelerating its development ambition”. Also, Ms. Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All, in her remarks said “The African continent holds tremendous potential for renewable energy projects. The region has demonstrated a firm commitment to accelerating modern renewable technologies. However, global support for the continent must recognize that our clean energy future depends on uniting our current efforts on energy, climate and development”.