People shout slogans and hold banners in Johannesburg CBD, on November 10, 2022, during a protest organised by Earth Life Africa, against the large use of coal to produce energy in the country and asking a fast transition to green energies. Photo AFP
“The AJAETI initiative aims to provide all Africans with access to clean energy whilst meeting the energy requirements for Africa’s economic development,” COP27 President and Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said during the launch of the initiative during the opening session of COP27’s Energy Day.
“Africa has a wealth of untapped resources that could be put to use in the manufacturing of renewable energy tools like electric batteries, wind turbines and other low-carbon technologies to support global mitigation efforts,” Shoukry said.
The initiative will engage the International Energy Agency (IEA) and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to provide possible pathways and scenarios for African countries, based on archetypes and resource endowments, for the most rapid and sustainable achievement of access.
Egypt’s Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Dr Mohamed Shaker was joined by a group of public and private entities to announce the objectives and focus of the AJAETI initiative.
“COP27 represents an opportunity for the energy transition in Africa to be bold and long-lasting, and we can develop a new model of cooperation to meet the commitment to universal access by 2030 and energy demands of Agenda 2063,” Shaker said during a panel on the initiative following the launch, stressing the importance of establishing a solid, broadly supported trajectory at COP27 for a just and equitable energy transition in Africa.
AJAETI aims to focus on three key objectives including the consolidation and facilitation of technical and policy support that will make just and affordable energy transitions in all African countries financially viable, securing access to affordable energy by 2027 for at least 300 million Africans, contributing to SDG 7.1 target of universal access by 2030.
It also aims to push a transition towards green energy by increasing the share of renewable electricity generation by 25 percentage points by 2027 and establish a power sector based on renewables by 2063, in line with the ‘Africa We Want’ agenda.
It will also help to identify locally appropriate strategies and potential energy mixes to set up just and affordable pathways away from fossil fuels for African countries.
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