IEA and African Union sign strategic partnership on sustainable energy for all goals

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Dr Abou Zeid and Dr Birol signing the MoU between the African Union and the IEA in Paris, with H. E. Mr Ali Suleyman Mohammed, Ethiopian Ambassador to France (background, left), and H.E. Noé van Hulst, Ambassador of The Netherlands at the OECD and Chairman of the IEA Governing Board (Photo: Michael Dean/IEA).

The International Energy Agency and the African Union have agreed to have a strategic partnership toward a more secure, sustainable and clean energy future for countries across the African continent.

The joint commitment was formalised through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed today in Paris by Dr Fatih Birol, the IEA’s Executive Director, and H.E. Dr Amani Abou-Zeid, the African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure, Energy, ICT and Tourism.

Before the official signature, Dr Abou-Zeid participated in Big Ideas, the IEA’s high-level distinguished speaker series. Marking World Africa Day, the annual commemoration of the foundation of the African Union, Dr Abou-Zeid addressed the challenges of energy poverty and improving energy access in Africa.

The hour-long session, which was broadcast live on the IEA website, was attended by more than 140 people, including a large number of Ambassadors, senior delegates and representatives from member countries of both the IEA Family and the African Union. The event was followed by a lunch hosted by Ambassador Alessandro Busacca, the Permanent Representative of Italy to the International Organizations in Paris, and Ambassador Massimo Gaiani, the Director General for Global Issues and for Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

For more than two decades, the IEA has been at the forefront of international efforts to deliver universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy. Despite widespread global progress, efforts to expand access to electricity and clean cooking facilities do not always keep pace with population growth, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, the region of the world with the most entrenched energy access challenges.

"There is a saying in Africa – if you want to go fast, you go alone; if you want to go far, you go together," said Dr Abou-Zeid. "It is the reason we decided to enter into a strategic partnership with the IEA. The signing of this MOU marks a milestone for the AUC and IEA. It will strengthen our ability to deliver on our respective mandates in a mutually enriching way." 

The MoU provides a general framework for cooperation on activities and projects that advance shared interests in areas of energy security, energy statistics, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainable economic development.

It reflects the IEA’s strong commitment to global engagement on energy access and sustainable development, and to working closely with emerging economies to find solutions to energy and environmental challenges.

"The agreement is a cornerstone of joint efforts to work toward a more secure, sustainable and clean energy future for Africa," said Dr Birol. "The timing of our ceremony here today could not be more appropriate as across the world we celebrate this 55th anniversary of Africa Day."

Eradicating energy poverty is a priority for the IEA and the agreement will play a vital role in stepping up efforts to achieve secure and sustainable energy for all. Find out more about the IEA’s work supporting the Sustainable Development Goal 7 on energy access here.