United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) officials have called for urgent action to advance energy security across Africa.
The call came during ongoing 36th African Hydro Symposium that kicked off Tuesday in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, under the theme “Climate-Resilient Hydropower and Water–Energy Security in Africa” bringing together policymakers, utilities, developers, financiers, researchers and energy-sector professionals.
Claver Gatete, UN under-secretary-general and executive secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, during the event, emphasized the need for African governments to integrate climate risk and sustainable water management into hydropower planning and operations.
“We must recognize that energy security is increasingly a regional undertaking. Stronger regional power pools, electricity interconnections and effective power markets can help member States make better use of their energy resources and improve the resilience of their systems,” Gatete said.
Gatete underscored the need for financing hydropower projects, attracting investment and securing lasting development benefits with arrangements must account for climate risk, allocate risks appropriately and support affordable electricity and sustainable public finances.
Rashid Ali Abdullah, Executive Director of the Africa energy commission at the African Union (AU) Commission, said Africa possesses vast untapped hydropower potential that can significantly contribute to expanding of electricity access, enhancing energy security, supporting regional electricity trade and facilitating the integration of other renewable energy sources.
“Yet, unlocking this potential requires us to address persistent challenges, including limited access to affordable financing, inadequate infrastructure, gaps in technical and institutional capacities, and policy and regulatory barriers. Moreover, the increasing impacts of climate change on water availability call for a more integrated and climate-resilient approach to hydropower development,” he said.
The symposium also will see the signing of a memorandum understanding on the African Union’s Continental Energy Security Policy Framework, aiming to establish a new framework for cooperation among African countries in different areas including capacity development and institutional strengthening, training on renewable energy transition.
MG/as/APA