AEEP Energy Talks: Insights into European Financial Flows on SDG7 to Africa

The 18th AEEP Energy Talks on 19 February 2025 (11:00-12:30 CET / 13:00-14:30 EAT) will delve into the third edition of the AEEP flagship report on European financial flows on the UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7) to Africa. The webinar will examine current financing trends, pathways to increase financial flows towards clean and affordable energy access, and highlight the critical role of the AU-EU partnership in financing SDG7 in Africa.
Building on the first two reports, the third edition of the AEEP report on European financial flows on SDG7 provides a comprehensive data-driven analysis of the financing landscape over the 2014-2022 period, outlining the European Union’s pivotal contribution, while painting a clear picture of the gap between current progress to SDG7 and the 2030 target.
The analysis underscores a critical conclusion: despite consistent efforts by the European Union (EU) and its Member States, other public donors, and African governments, which have led to notable progress, the pace of progress towards SDG7 remains far too slow and existing financial flows remain insufficient to meet the 2030 target. The situation is particularly critical in the areas of electricity access, clean cooking and energy efficiency. The main challenge is to keep pace with the rapid population growth, and the situation has temporarily been exacerbated by a series of recent shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the disruption of the global energy markets and rising inflation. The report shows that investments and financial support from all sources need to be stepped up, while ensuring that resources are directed where they are the most needed and where they can generate the greatest impact.
The 18th AEEP Energy Talks will present key results from the report followed by an analysis by experts from both continents. The discussion will focus on how to step up financial support and increase investments towards the different SDG7 target areas (electricity access, clean cooking, renewable energy and energy efficiency). Panellists will explore the need for adequate financing instruments, including de-risking mechanisms and other instruments to leverage private sector investments in sustainable energy access projects, and how Africa-Europe collaboration can continue to play a crucial role in implementing these solutions.