COP27 Presidency Launches AJAETI Initiative for a Just and Affordable Energy Transition in Africa

The COP27 Presidency launched the Africa Just & Affordable Energy Transition Initiative (AJAETI) today during the opening session of COP27’s Energy thematic day.

COP27 President HE Sameh Shoukry said: "The AJAETI initiative aims to provide all Africans with access to clean energy, whilst meeting the energy requirements for Africa’s economic development.  Driving economic growth and supporting job creation across Africa to build a modern, resilient, and sustainable energy systems across the continent. Africa has a wealth of untapped resources that could be put to use in the manufacturing of renewable energy tools like electric batteries, wind turbines and other low-carbon technologies to support global mitigation efforts.”

Egypt’s Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Dr Mohamed Shaker was joined by a group of public and private entities to announce the objectives and focus of the AJAETI initiative. The initiative will engage the International Energy Agency (IEA) and International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) to provide possible pathways and scenarios for African countries, based on archetypes and resource endowments, for the most rapid and sustainable achievement of access.

Following the launch, a panel moderated by Glenn Pearce Oroz, Senior Director of International Relations and Special Projects at Sustainable Energy for All included the following speakers:

•        Uganda’s Minister of Energy H.E. Honorable Ruth Nankabirwa

•        Ghana’s Minister of Energy, Ghana Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh

•        Minister of Climate, Energy and Utility, Denmark H.E Dan Jørgensen

•        CEO Sustainable Energy for All Ms. Damilola Ogunbiyi

•        African Climate Foundation Senior Advisor Faten-Aggad

•        BCG Managing Director and Senior Partner Mr. Patrick Dupoux

Dr Mohamed Shaker, Egypt’s Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy said: “COP27 represents an opportunity for the energy transition in Africa to be bold and long-lasting. We can develop a new model of cooperation to meet the commitment to universal access by 2030 and energy demands of Agenda 2063,”  Reiterating the importance of establishing a solid, broadly supported trajectory at COP27 for the just and equitable energy transition in Africa.

AJAETI aims to focus on three key objectives:

Consolidate and facilitate technical and policy support that will make just and affordable energy transitions in all African countries financially viable, securing access to affordable energy by 2027 for at least 300 million Africans, contributing to SDG 7.1 target of universal access by 2030.

Transition 300 million out of the 970 million, who do not have access to clean cooking fuels and technologies, towards clean cooking by 2027, contributing to SDG 7.1 target of universal access by 2030.

Transition towards green energy by increasing the share of renewable electricity generation by 25 percentage points by 2027 and obtain a power sector based on renewables by 2063, in line with the "Africa We Want" agenda.

Providing an umbrella for the existing energy related initiatives in Africa, AJAETI will work towards affordable and sustainable access to clean and renewable energy. It will also help to identify locally appropriate strategies and potential energy mixes to set up just and affordable pathways from away from fossil fuels for African countries. With secure technical and policy support, including peer-to peer exchange, and dissemination of best practices and case studies the initiative will aid in making the transition a success.