WHAT High Level Green Talk on Accelerating the EU-Africa Partnership for Green Energy Transition in Africa" and "Digital Marketplace for Green Energy Transition."

WHEN Friday, 16 April 2021
Time: 14H00- 16H00 (EAT)

WHERE Virtual through zoom platform: Please register here prior to the event:
https://eu.eventscloud.com/ereg/index.php?eventid=200221334&

WHO The high level event is co-hosted by the African Union Commission, through
its Department of Infrastructure and Energy; the European Union; and the
Portuguese Presidency of the Council of the EU.

Speaker at the high Level event:

H.E. Amani Abou-Zeid; African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy;

H.E. Augusto Santos Silva, Portugal's Minister of Foreign Affairs;

H.E. Frans Timmermans, European Commission's Executive Vice-President

Objective: In the current context of a global energy transformation and immediate need of economic recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic, this high-level event will explore what is needed for the continent to stimulate the required investments to develop the energy systems fit for inclusive and sustainable development, jobs, gender equity and attainment of universal energy access in line with SDG7 and the climate objectives.

Background:
Investing in sustainable energy is fundamental for human and economic development, as envisioned in both the AU Agenda 2063 and the EU Green Deal and set out in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its seventeen Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
While Africa is the continent that contributes the least to greenhouse gas emissions, it is disproportionately impacted by climate change. In the aftermath of COVID-19 pandemic, to power the ambitious call of structural change, and high economic growth envisaged in the ten year implementation plan of AU Agenda 2063, comprehensive reforms will be needed to improve the investment climate and attract financing for building a sustainable energy system in Africa for socio economic development, sustainable industrialisation and trade. This will be key for the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) plan and achievements of the 300 GW targets of the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) by 2030…

Journalists are invited to register and attend the High Level Meeting on Friday, 16 April 2021, at 14H00, East Africa Time.

For further information and media enquiry please contact:

Mr. Molalet Tsedeke
Directorate of Information and Communication
African Union Commission: E-mails: molalett@africa-union.org; Tel: (+251) 911630631