ROME – No African country can be asked to halt the exploration of its natural resources, including fossil fuels, President William Ruto has said.
In a statement in Rome on January 29, when he attended the Italy-Africa Summit, President Ruto said although that does not mean it makes economic sense to build a dependency on fossil fuels in economies, the most recent IEA [International Energy Agency] publication says renewable energy is also an economically rational choice.
“Africa has global solutions to offer while providing energy to all Africans. We are home to 60% of the world’s best solar resources, and abundant wind, geothermal, and hydro potential,” he said.
The President revisited the historical injustices in as far as transition to green energy and the targets are concerned.
Recalling the inaugural Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi in September 2023, President Ruto said the groundwork for realizing the ambitious vision of shift towards renewable energy had been laid, and that the Nairobi Declaration outlined a comprehensive strategy to transform the continent in a climate-positive manner.
Among other things, he said, African states set a goal to increase Africa’s renewable capacity from 56GW to at least 300GW by 2030.
“While these targets may seem modest compared to the global goal of 11,000 GW, it is crucial to understand that this is not due to a lack of ambition. Rather, it reflects the historical structural and systemic challenges that have limited our participation in the green revolution.
“Out of the $3 trillion invested over the past two decades, only $60 billion reached our continent. Energy security remains a distant reality for approximately 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lacking access to electricity,” the President said, pointing to the unfair funding towards Africa.
This staggering number, President Ruto said, represents half of Africa’s population and exceeds the entire population of Europe by 150 million.
“Additionally, 1 billion Africans still lack access to clean cooking, emphasizing the urgent need to reshape our energy landscape for dignified lives and livelihoods,” he added.
The President called for equity, and fair and beneficial partnerships in the transition, noting that Africa’s renewable energy potential and natural resources can aid in meeting Europe’s energy needs while fostering economic growth and technological advancement in Africa.
“True non-predatory cooperation should ensure that African countries are not left with a stranded asset. I believe gas remains a temporary solution, primarily for export and only with fair and equitable deal structuring. The urgent and sustained focus should be on renewables,” the statement added.
At the centre of the debate is Italy’s ‘Mattei Plan’ – named after Enrico Mattei, founder of state oil and gas company Eni – which seeks to make Italy “an energy hub” that creates “a bridge between Europe and Africa”.
While the initiative says it will strengthen the use of renewables and “accelerate the transition of electricity systems”, it does not explicitly rule out oil and gas projects.
