Africa’s energy potentials to turn COVID-19 into huge opportunities

The African Union Commission (AUC) and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), have discovered advantages from the energy potential in Africa which is capable of turning the COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity for the continent and its population.

The AUC and IRENA recently held a virtual high level dialogue to discuss Africa’s needs in responding to the COVID-19 crisis and the role of the energy transition in the post-pandemic recovery.

The dialogue brought together a number of ministers and high-level participants from Africa, Europe, the GCC and the European Union, as well as Vice Presidents of the World Bank and African Development Bank (AfDB), the UNDP Administrator, the Director-General of IRENA as well as representatives of the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative, AREI, and Sustainable Energy for All, SEforALL.

During the two-hour virtual event led by H.E. Dr Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission, and IRENA Director-General, Francesco La Camera, participants agreed that the energy transition is critical to both the response to the crisis and to the post-pandemic recovery.

The meeting took place following an agreement between the two organisations to strengthen cooperation to combat the pandemic and pursue Africa’s development goals.

AU Commissioner Amani Abou-Zeid remarked that: “The energy sector cannot sit back and only react, it has to join in the fight as well while at the same time positioning itself to play a pivotal role in the recovery after the crisis. Through this forum, we hope to share the actions taken by various countries and organisations and the results they have had. This will provide lessons that will be instrumental in shaping the response and preparing for recovery.”

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