Malheureusement, cet événement s’est déroulé exclusivement en allemand et anglais, c’est pourquoi le résumé n’est disponible qu’en allemand et en anglais. Nous essayons toujours d’élargir notre offre en langue française et vous remercions de votre compréhension. 

Africa holds huge renewable energy promises. The resource potentials are vast – with abundant wind, solar, hydro, and geothermal energy sources. Central and Southern African countries are host to abundant mineral resources essential for producing electric batteries, wind turbines, and other low-carbon technologies. The needs are also very clear. There are currently close to 800 million people without access to electricity in the world; 78 percent of them are in Africa. More than 850 million people depend on wood and charcoal, which poses a healthcare issue.

Against this background, it is no wonder that the support of renewable energy investments is supposed to play a huge part in Germany’s Africa policy, both in its development cooperation and foreign trade and investment relations – at least on paper.

Despite the abundance, clear needs and political approval, Africa’s share of total cumulative global renewable energy investments from 2000 to 2020 is only two percent – 60 billion dollars. 75 percent of the investments made between 2010 and 2020 went to just four countries: South Africa, Morocco, Egypt and Kenya. Why is Africa attracting such low levels of investment? What needs to be done to drastically increase the amount of investment going to African countries? Does Germany’s Africa policy provide adequate solutions in this regard?

To discuss these and other questions together, the German Africa Foundation and the Africa Policy Research Institute invited you to an expert discussion.

Programme

Opening Remarks:

Dr Uschi Eid, President, German Africa Foundation

Discussion:

Jochen Hauff, Director of Corporate Strategy, Energy Policy and Sustainability, BayWa r.e. Global

Philipp Knill, Head of Directorate 21 (Africa II), German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)

Ndiarka Mbodji, Founder and CEO, Kowry Energy GmbH

Dr Daniel Schroth, Director of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Department, African Development Bank (AfDB)

Moderation:

Dr Olumide Abimbola, Executive Director, Africa Policy Research Institute