Energiekooperation zwischen Afrika und Deutschland: Entwicklung, Diplomatie, Transformation

The paper analyzes the shift in German-African energy relations from a focus on development aid to a complex mix of energy diplomacy, foreign policy, and technical cooperation. It highlights a tension between Germany's goals for a green transition (including hydrogen partnerships) and its strategic interests in diversifying fossil fuel imports. The author critiques 'energy colonialism' and the financialization of projects, recommending that future cooperation be grounded in 'energy justice' and a value-chain approach to ensure local benefits and social standards.

• Historically, German energy relations with Africa were limited to development cooperation, focusing on energy poverty and rural renewables. Between 2002 and 2020, Germany committed 3.61 billion USD in development financing for energy supply in Sub-Saharan Africa, with the majority flowing to South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mozambique.
• Current German energy diplomacy is characterized by two competing interests: the pursuit of a green transition through renewable energy and hydrogen partnerships, and the strategic need to diversify fossil fuel sources, such as importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Senegal to reduce dependence on Russian gas.
• The 'financialization' of energy transition projects, particularly through multi-stakeholder initiatives like the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), risks prioritizing investor returns over development goals. This trend may lead to the neglect of projects in high-risk conflict regions such as Zimbabwe or the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Hydrogen partnerships present risks of 'energy colonialism' if they treat the Global South as mere 'resource spaces' for Northern needs. Potential negative impacts include land grabbing, water scarcity in arid regions like Niger or Burkina Faso, and the disregard for local decarbonization strategies in countries like South Africa, Morocco, and Namibia.
• The author recommends anchoring 'energy justice' as a standard clause in bilateral Memoranda of Understanding to address distributive, procedural, and recognition justice, as well as historical and epistemic inequalities.
• To prevent a 'race to the bottom' regarding social and environmental standards—currently observed in hydrogen competition between Angola and Namibia—the document suggests implementing a certification for fair green hydrogen and applying the German Supply Chain Act (Lieferkettengesetz).

APA

Müller, F. (2023). Energiekooperation zwischen Afrika und Deutschland: Entwicklung, Diplomatie, Transformation. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/de/energiekooperation-zwischen-afrika-und-deutschland-entwicklung-diplomatie-transformation

Chicago

Müller, Franziska. Energiekooperation zwischen Afrika und Deutschland: Entwicklung, Diplomatie, Transformation. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2023. https://afripoli.org/de/energiekooperation-zwischen-afrika-und-deutschland-entwicklung-diplomatie-transformation.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Müller |first1=Franziska |title=Energiekooperation zwischen Afrika und Deutschland: Entwicklung, Diplomatie, Transformation |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=7 June 2023 |url=https://afripoli.org/de/energiekooperation-zwischen-afrika-und-deutschland-entwicklung-diplomatie-transformation |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{mller2023energiekooperation, author = {Müller, Franziska}, title = {{Energiekooperation zwischen Afrika und Deutschland: Entwicklung, Diplomatie, Transformation}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2023}, month = jun, url = {https://afripoli.org/de/energiekooperation-zwischen-afrika-und-deutschland-entwicklung-diplomatie-transformation}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }