The African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, H.E. Ms Lerato D. Mataboge, has issued a strong call for urgent and coordinated international action to tackle Africa’s clean cooking crisis during the launch of a flagship report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) titled “Universal Access to Clean Cooking in Africa: Progress Update and Roadmap to Implementation”.

Speaking at the IEA headquarters in Paris, Commissioner Mataboge, emphasised the human, economic, and environmental cost of continued inaction to scale up accessible clean cooking solutions for nearly one billion Africans still living in cooking poverty.

“The time for declarations is over — we must turn pledges into real action on the ground,” Commissioner Mataboge stated, urging international partners to align with Africa’s financing, technical assistance, and infrastructure investment needs. “Clean cooking is a fundamental need and a foundation for health, equality, and economic empowerment — especially for women and girls across Africa.  It is impossible to achieve a global transition to clean cooking without addressing the funding, technology and localisation challenges that persist.”

Africa accounts for nearly half of the global population without access to clean cooking, with over 800,000 premature deaths annually attributed to polluting fuels such as wood, charcoal, and dung.  Despite some progress, more than 70% of Africa’s population remains without access — a glaring indicator of the urgent action needed.

The AU Commissioner outlined four (4) key African Union priorities to close the clean cooking gap through the African Energy Commission (AFREC)’s programme to support Member States in policy planning, technical capacity, and investment mobilisation.

1. High-level political advocacy, with clean cooking now declared a top priority by the AU Assembly.
2. Development of national clean cooking strategies that align with countries’ broader economic and energy plans.
3. Mobilisation of financing, including the creation of an African Clean Cooking Facility and frameworks for carbon markets.
4. Promotion of local value chains, to ensure technology manufacturing, distribution, and innovation happen within Africa to drive job creation and economic growth.

During her visit to Paris, H.E. Ms Lerato D. Mataboge, also held bilateral meetings with the IEA leadership, including Executive Director Dr. Fatih Birol, to further strengthen cooperation in clean cooking, energy data systems, and efficiency.

The IEA’s new report outlines a cost-effective pathway to universal clean cooking access in Africa by 2040, requiring less than 0.1% of annual global energy investment while generating enormous health, economic, and climate benefits.

“Lack of clean cooking access remains one of the great injustices in the world and a clear example of a cause all countries agree must be addressed” said Dr. Fatih Birol, Executive Director of the IEA during the launch event. “this new report provides a clear, data-driven roadmap for every household across Africa to gain access.  Our new analysis shows that with targeted action, strong political leadership, and international support, we can eliminate this gap within a generation — improving lives, protecting forests, and empowering women across Africa.”

Notes for Editors: Key highlights:

• The African Union co-hosted clean cooking events at COP29 with Tanzania and launched key publications including Sustainable Scaling: Meeting the Clean Cooking Challenge in Africa.
• $2.2 billion was pledged during the May 2024 Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa, with $470 million already disbursed.
• Ongoing collaborations between the AU and IEA include energy statistics, efficiency training, and clean cooking data reporting.
• The African Union proposes a new Memorandum of Understanding with IEA to formalize long-term cooperation on clean energy access.