The European Commission’s plans to enhance energy security through increased co-operation with African nations have taken a major step forward with the creation of an “ambitious” energy partnership between the two regions.
The African Union Commission and the European Commission have signed a joint statement establishing goals and actions for the Africa-EU Energy Partnership, including investment in renewable energy, electrification and interconnections.
The partnership will involve investments worth over €600 million to support electrification in Africa and seeks to enhance energy security in the EU through investment in renewable energy capacity in Africa and energy interconnections between Africa and the EU. It will also involve investment in energy efficiency, gas flaring reduction and market reform.
The EU currently imports almost 15 per cent of its oil and gas from Africa, much of it from Algeria. It is also considering plans for the creation of massive solar power installations in Africa, linked to the EU by a new supergrid.
The joint statement stresses the “urgent need to promote Africa electrification” and calls for the rapid “elaboration of an Electricity Master-Plan for Africa”. It also notes the need for increased transparency in order to attract private investment and the elaboration of “a Road Map for the launching and implementation of a Renewable Energy Cooperation programme”.
The initiative is part of a wider plan for increased cooperation between the EU and Africa and will help the EU to reduce dependence on energy imports from Russia. Further discussions are planned on the creation of a Trans-Saharan gas pipeline to bring oil and gas reserves from Nigeria to the EU.
