Partnership for a Green Transition and Energy Access: Strategic priorities for Africa and Europe

This briefing, produced by the South African Institute of International Affairs and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, outlines strategic priorities for a green transition and energy access partnership between the African Union (AU) and the European Union (EU). It emphasizes the need to maintain momentum on climate goals despite the COVID-19 pandemic, advocating for a transition that supports Africa's developmental objectives, including industrialization and employment growth.

• Africa faces significant energy deficits, with electricity access at 43% and approximately 600 million people lacking electricity as of 2018. Despite having the world's richest solar resources, the region accounts for less than 1% of installed solar energy capacity.
• Investment in Africa's energy sector remains low relative to global levels; in 2018, the continent represented only 5.5% of global energy sector investment, totaling $70 billion for fossil fuels, $13 billion for renewable energy, and $13 billion for electricity networks.
• The green transition in Africa is hindered by the continued exploitation of fossil fuels in several countries. For instance, Kenya is developing oil reserves alongside the continent's largest wind farm in Lake Turkana, while South Africa, Uganda, Tanzania, and Mozambique continue plans for fossil fuel development.
• To secure political support for the green transition, priority must be given to skills development, reskilling, and employment creation within a 'just transition' framework, with gender mainstreaming as a central element.
• There is a critical need to use public finances and external partner support to de-risk renewable energy and energy efficiency investments, thereby leveraging and crowding in private sector investment.
• The green transition should be integrated with 'nexus issues' to maximize developmental impact, specifically linking energy access to the digital economy, agricultural production, agri-processing, and trade via the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
• The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted AU-EU political and economic processes, but it offers an opportunity to reframe the partnership. Key areas for engagement include 'green recovery' stimulus measures and the implications of Europe's trend toward shortening supply chains and 'onshoring' in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and agriculture.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2020). Partnership for a Green Transition and Energy Access: Strategic priorities for Africa and Europe. https://saiia.org.za/research/partnership-for-a-green-transition-and-energy-access-strategic-priorities-for-africa-and-europe/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Partnership for a Green Transition and Energy Access: Strategic priorities for Africa and Europe. 2020. https://saiia.org.za/research/partnership-for-a-green-transition-and-energy-access-strategic-priorities-for-africa-and-europe/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Partnership for a Green Transition and Energy Access: Strategic priorities for Africa and Europe |date=29 September 2020 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/partnership-for-a-green-transition-and-energy-access-strategic-priorities-for-africa-and-europe/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2020partnership, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Partnership for a Green Transition and Energy Access: Strategic priorities for Africa and Europe}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2020}, month = sep, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/partnership-for-a-green-transition-and-energy-access-strategic-priorities-for-africa-and-europe/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }