AUC-IEA Ministerial Forum: Securing Africa’s Energy Future in the Wake of Covid-19

A revitalised energy sector is essential to Africa’s economic transformation. The AUC-IEA Ministerial Forum on Powering Africa's Energy Future will bring together a diverse mix of high-level stakeholders from government, industry and other international organizations to discuss implementation priority actions to ensure Africa’s energy sector is best positioned to contribute effectively to driving economic growth and transformation in the wake of Covid-19.

The event presents an opportunity to build on the outcomes of the first 2019 AUC-IEA Ministerial Forum, identify further diverse and pressing energy challenges facing African countries, and highlight opportunities to continue driving Africa’s clean energy transition. It is co-organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) along with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, South Africa.

In May 2018 through the signing of an MoU, the AUC and IEA agreed to work together to realize shared goals of supporting enhanced energy security, energy statistics, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable economic development in Africa. As part of this coordinated effort, AUC Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, H.E. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid, and IEA Executive Director, Dr. Fatih Birol, agreed to co-host a summit in Africa in 2019 to address electricity and clean-cooking access, power market interconnectivity, infrastructure development and energy sector investment in Africa.

The first annual Forum took place on June 12, 2019. The Forum provided critical inputs into the IEA’s 2019 Special Report on Africa for the World Energy Outlook as well as contributed to tracking and analysing progress towards achieving SDG 7. The Forum also contributed to ongoing efforts to realise targets set out in Africa’s Agenda 2063 for a Prosperous Africa Based on Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development starting with its 10-year implementation plan.

The aim of the Forum is to agree on and promote actions to ensure a sustainable economic recovery and scale up of energy investments in Africa over the next three years coinciding with end of the first 10 year Action Plan of the AU Agenda 2063. The goal is to set new milestones and develop a roadmap to guide further joint AUC-IEA engagement to achieve the access, economic and environmental objectives set out in both the UN Sustainable Development Goals (especially linked to SDG 7) and the AU Agenda 2063 and building on the ongoing AU energy initiatives and programs as well as joint initiatives with international partners. It also provides an opportunity to share views on the ways in which the IEA Sustainable Recovery Plan’s energy sector roadmap for governments could best be applied to African contexts.

• H.E. Dr. Amani ABOU-ZEID, AUC Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy
• Dr. Fatih BIROL, IEA Executive Director
• H.E. Mr. Samson Gwede Mantashe, Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, South Africa
• H.E. Dr. Mohamed Shaker El-Markabi, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Egypt