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Africa-EU
Energy Partnership

Transforming Africa’s Energy Landscape: The Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative

Capacitating Joint Action Integrated Dialogue

The Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI) is Europe’s contribution to Africa’s transformative effort to reshape the energy landscape of the continent. This initiative aims to enhance electricity production from renewable sources and broaden access to energy across Africa, while promoting energy efficiency and supporting regulatory reforms to create a favourable environment for private investment. By fostering market integration, AEGEI seeks to catalyse sustainable economic growth and improve the quality of life for millions.

AEGEI represents a collaborative endeavour as a Team Europe Initiative, bringing together the European Union, its Member States, European financial and development institutions. It is a key initiative of the Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package, which in turn falls under the Global Gateway Strategy. The Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package aims to support Africa for a strong, inclusive, green, and digital recovery and transformation. The package is being implemented through Team Europe initiatives with the aim to mobilise EUR 150 billion in investments in Africa. This concerted effort aims not only to meet the immediate energy needs of the continent but also to lay the groundwork for a sustainable and prosperous future for Africa.

Africa faces a substantial energy challenge, with over 600 million people lacking electricity and 970 million relying on unsustainable biomass for cooking. Currently, the continent meets half of its primary energy needs (electricity, transport, heating, and cooking) with fossil fuels and 48% with unsustainable biomass or waste, leading to severe air pollution, desertification, and climate change impacts. Renewable energy, however, holds great capacity and potential to bring electricity and energy across the continent. Studies conducted for the Continental Power System Masterplan (CMP), show that with a large deployment of hydro, wind and solar, electricity output can be much increased in Africa, leading to a dramatic growth in economies and African GDP.

Through the AEGEI, Europe aims to support Africa in its efforts to harness Africa’s abundant renewable energy resources, which have become cost competitive. The AEGEI aims to deploy at least 50 GW of additional renewable energy capacity by 2030, providing electricity to over 100 million people. Its three primary objectives are to enhance access to affordable and sustainable energy for African citizens and businesses, boost the generation of renewable energy, and promote energy efficiency. The initiative will support major clean energy infrastructure projects and off-grid solutions identified by Africa’s five Power Pools, assist African partners in creating favourable conditions for clean energy deployment, and ensure coordinated efforts and visibility of EU support for green investments. By harnessing Africa’s abundant and cost-competitive renewable resources, the AEGEI seeks to foster a resilient and interconnected energy network through regulatory reforms and private investment.

A timeline of the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI)

December 2021

The European Commission announced plans to allocate funding for green energy projects in Africa as part of the Global Gateway Strategy. This move highlighted the EU’s commitment to addressing climate change and fostering sustainable development through renewable energy investments.

February 2022

During the EU-AU Summit, the European Union announced an Africa-Europe Investment Package of EUR 150 billion that will support a common ambition for 2030 and AU Agenda 2063. Team Europe also proposed the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI), to consolidate the joint sustained efforts to support green energy investments in Africa.

November 2022

At the Compact with Africa Summit in Berlin, the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the German government’s intention to invest EUR 4 billion by 2030 for renewable energy investments through the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative to help improve the continent’s role in renewable power, green hydrogen and critical raw material extraction.

December 2023

At COP28 in Dubai, Team Europe, including 12 European Member States, EIB, EBRD and the EC, pledged over €20 billion for the AEGEI for the 2021-2027 period. This commitment underscored Europe’s support for sustainable energy investments in Africa, aiming to deploy at least 50 GW of renewable energy capacity by 2030, benefiting 100 million people. By COP28 AEGEI had already facilitated projects like a solar plant in Namibia and regional hydropower studies.

February 2024

The 37th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of the Heads of State and Government of the African Union elevated African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) and its Continental Power Systems Masterplan (CMP) to Agenda 2063 Flagship projects. Europe, through AEGEI, supports the work to implement AfSEM and CMP, to increase electricity production, improve energy access, and promote energy efficiency across Africa.

March 2024

At the Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue (BETD) the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP) and Africa-Europe Foundation (AEF) organised a high-level meeting to strengthen bicontinental cooperation under the theme “Fostering Africa-Europe energy cooperation: Implementing commitments and realising Africa’s energy transformation“. Twenty-six African and European representatives from public and private sector, as well as civil society, emphasised the need to respect Africa’s energy plans outlined in the Continental Power System Masterplan (CMP) and Africa Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) and supported by the EU under the AEGEI.

May 2024

At the Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa held in Paris in May 2024, Team Europe highlighted actions that are being undertaken on clean cooking under AEGEI amounting to over EUR 400 million, with an EU contribution of EUR 150 million. EU also  announced the upcoming Regional Clean Cooking Action for West Africa (RECCAWA), with EUR 12 million from the EU and EUR 5 million from the Netherlands.

Read more about the AEGEI: https://africa-eu-energy-partnership.org/aeep-aegei/

The AEEP is supported by its Steering Group: