Kigali Communique outlines principles for a just and equitable energy transition

Kigali, Rwanda, 20 May 2022 - During the global SEforALL Forum in Kigali from 17-19 May 2022, Ministers and high-level representatives from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Uganda, and Zimbabwe met to discuss the requirements for a just and equitable energy transition in Africa. The meetings were facilitated by the Rwanda ministry of infrastructure, SEforAll and ECA.

The outcome of this Ministerial meeting was the Kigali Communique from the 10 countries that expresses seven key principles to address development gaps, and to put Africa on a pathway, aligned with the Paris Agreement on climate change, to economic prosperity and Net-Zero.

With the communique, Rwanda and the other represented countries call on partners to align with these principles of a just and equitable energy transition in Africa, to turn their commitments into action, and to join them in working towards meaningful progress on an energy transition that will benefit our future generations.

Announcing the Kigali Communique at the Forum, Hon. Patricie Uwase, Rwanda's Minister of State in the Ministry of Infrastructure, said, "Here in Kigali, ministers and senior officials agreed on the importance of articulating a collective position on a just and equitable energy transition In Africa. The Kigali Communique articulates the principles of this transition as well as the intention of African nations to work together to implement them. This is an important moment as we build the African bloc's position and work to be part of the solution to climate change."

Among the principles advocated in the communique, was the need to pursue a modern energy minimum of 1,000 kWh per capita consumption - middle income economies are consuming 2,500 kWh per capita and high-income economies 6,000 kWh per capita - in Africa, that also prioritises a revolution in clean cooking.
Rwanda already has plans to achieve a 100 percent electrification rate by 2024 and is committed to working with partners like Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) to achieve these energy minimums to support its development and achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7.

As stated in the communique, achieving the energy minimums will require a scale-up of private and public sector investment to well over USD$ 2 trillion in new generation, transmission and distribution infrastructure and new energy technologies and delivery systems.

H.E. Goddy Jeddy Agba, Nigeria Minister for State for Power, who also participated in the Ministerial Roundtable, said "Nigeria has demonstrated its commitment to a clean energy future by setting a clear pathway to achieve its energy access and transition targets. Together with other countries from across Africa, we have articulated what will be required to achieve both decarbonization and clean, affordable energy for all, which is essential for Nigeria to achieve its development goals."

"This opportunity to articulate a just and equitable energy transition for Africa is extremely important and should bring together more closely African Ministries of Environment and Ministries of Energy," said Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Energy, Republic of Ghana.

The SEforALL Forum, which was co-hosted by the Government of Rwanda, provided an opportunity for the African Ministers and representatives to initiate these discussions around what a just and equitable energy transition will look like for Africa.

African country representatives who attended in Kigali will look to include their counterparts from other African countries and continue these discussions over the coming months, including at a meeting in Abuja, during the UN General Assembly in September and other opportunities leading into COP27 to be hosted by Egypt in Sharm el-Sheikh.

Download the Kigali Communique here.

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