African Ministers Approve Key Strategies for Africa’s Energy Future
The African Union Commission (AUC) organised the Third Extra-Ordinary Specialised Technical Committee (STC) on Transport and Energy virtually on 3-5 December 2024.
At the meeting African Ministers discussed and adopted pending issues and strategies on energy and transport. 42 African countries were represented with more than 140 participants, including ministers and other high-level government representatives.
The STC approved the following strategies:
– The African Green Hydrogen Strategy and Action Plan.
– The Continental Strategy to support development and deployment of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) and other Low Carbon Aviation Fuels (LCAF) in Africa.
– The African Energy Efficiency Strategy, Roadmap, and Action Plan (AfEES).
– The revised Abuja Aviation Safety Targets.
– The Continental Policy on Climate Resilient and Smart Infrastructure in Africa.
The Green Hydrogen Strategy aims to position Africa as a global leader in green hydrogen by leveraging Africa’s abundant renewable resources, access to key minerals, trade relationships and the proximity to export markets. The approval by African Ministers paves the way for a coordinated approach to green hydrogen development in Africa and ensures the process is driven by African actors in collaboration with partners.
The African Energy Efficiency Program launched at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan is complemented by the African Energy Efficiency Strategy, Roadmap and Action Plan (AfEES), which was adopted by the African energy and transport ministers during the STC. AfEES lays out a roadmap for implementing energy-efficient practices across key sectors, including power, industry, agriculture, buildings, transport and clean cooking. The strategy also outlines ambitious goals of 50% increase in energy productivity by 2050 and 70% by 2063, in line with Africa’s overall energy access targets. The targets furthermore align with COP28’s goal to double energy efficiency by 2030.
About the STC
The Specialized Technical Committee (STC) meetings are a critical step in the decision-making process for implementing energy initiatives in Africa and act as an important technical organ of the African Union. The STC collaborates with various departments in the African Union Commission (AUC) to monitor development programmes and provide well-informed inputs and decisions based on the expertise of the Regional Economic Communities.
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