How to Advocate for Sustainable Energy Solutions

The Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam represents a transformative moment for Africa's energy landscape, marking a shift from fragmented national efforts to a unified, continent-wide strategy. The summit brought together African leaders, private sector stakeholders, and international development partners to address the continent's energy crisis and chart a path toward universal electricity access and sustainable energy solutions. Here are the key takeaways and outcomes from the summit:

1. Continental Coordination and Political Will

The summit underscored the importance of a coordinated approach to tackling Africa's energy challenges. African leaders emphasized the need for collective action, backed by strong political will and financial commitments. This departure from isolated national efforts paved the way for a more integrated and collaborative strategy.

2. Progress and Challenges in Energy Access

• Ethiopia: President Taye Astike Selassie Amde highlighted Ethiopia's progress, with 54% of the population now having access to electricity. However, 60 million citizens remain powerless, necessitating an aggressive target to achieve universal access by 2028.
• Benin: Vice President Miriam Chabi Talata shared Benin's success in increasing energy self-sufficiency from 0% to 50% since 2016, leveraging solar, thermal, and hydroelectric power.
• Ghana: President John Mahama stressed the importance of effective implementation and governance, particularly in state-owned utilities, to ensure last-mile connectivity.

3. Private Sector Engagement and Reforms

Private sector participants called for bold reforms, particularly in transmission and distribution networks, to unlock investment and improve efficiency. Key points included:

• Infrastructure Constraints: TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné highlighted the challenges of transporting electricity from renewable energy plants.
• Financing and Currency Issues: Industry leaders emphasized the need for sovereign guarantees, local currency financing, and streamlined administrative processes to attract private investment.
• IFC's $1 Billion Fund: The International Finance Corporation (IFC) announced a new fund to support decentralized renewable energy and off-grid solar solutions.

4. Financial Commitments and Partnerships

• World Bank and AfDB: The joint commitment of $48 billion by the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB) aims to catalyze additional resources from other stakeholders.
• France's Contribution: President Emmanuel Macron pledged €1 billion for energy access in Africa, alongside a €10 million donation to the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA).
• Other Donors: Denmark, the UK, and Spain increased their contributions to SEFA, demonstrating international support for Africa's energy transition.

5. Clean Cooking and Health

The summit also addressed the clean cooking crisis, which claims 600,000 lives annually and costs nearly $800 billion in health and economic impacts. African nations are committed to innovative solutions, such as pay-as-you-cook LPG models and efficient biomass stoves. Tanzania showcased its national strategy targeting 80% clean cooking adoption by 2034.

6. The Dar es Salaam Declaration

The summit culminated in the Dar es Salaam Declaration, which commits governments to:

• Reforms in utility management and procurement transparency.
• Encouraging private sector participation through supportive regulations and innovative financing.
• Increasing concessional resources and technical support from development partners.

7. Next Steps and Implementation

• Energy Compacts: Twelve countries (Chad, C?te d'Ivoire, DRC, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Tanzania, and Zambia) presented Energy Compacts, which will serve as test cases for Mission 300’s approach.
• African Union Summit 2025: The Dar es Salaam Declaration will be presented for continent-wide adoption during the AU Summit in February 2025.
• Focus on Action: The next 12-18 months will be critical in translating commitments into tangible results, with African leaders pledging to create a conducive business environment for energy investments.

8. A Vision for Empowerment

Tanzania's President Hassan encapsulated the summit's broader vision, stating that it was about energy access and empowering families, reducing poverty, and creating opportunities for youth. The summit's success will ultimately be measured by its ability to deliver on these promises and drive meaningful change across the continent.

In conclusion, the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit has set the stage for a new era of collaboration, innovation, and investment in Africa's energy sector. By addressing both immediate challenges and long-term goals, the summit has laid the groundwork for a brighter, more sustainable energy future for the continent.