The African continent is by far, the continent with the lowest electrification rate in the world, revealed Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Mohammed stated, during the International Cooperation Forum in Egypt and at the meeting of African Ministers of Finance, Economy and Environment for the COP27, that African leaders should now “go beyond declarations and towards concrete and viable initiatives.”
Amina Mohammed stressed that developing countries need to know what instruments and mechanisms are actually available to support their transitions to sustainable and climate resilient economies, as the global electricity bill rises.
The UN Deputy Secretary-General asked developed countries to respect their annual commitments of USD 100 billion to developing countries, explaining that “it is essential to restore confidence between countries and in the multilateral system.”
According to Mohammed, more than USD 500 billion will be needed to achieve universal access to energy by 2030.
Despite ample efforts made by governments and international organizations to change Africa’s minimal access to electricity, the continent as a whole recorded a mere 56% electrification rate by the end of 2021.
African countries, all of which are committed to universal access to electricity, will have to make huge investments in the coming years.
In addition, African governments are also bound to commit to sustainable solutions and alternatives when it comes to new electricity generating projects, considering the rise of climate change risks, especially for the continent.
Africa feels excluded from the climate financing necessary for its adaptation to climate change.
Out of the USD 100 billion of annual aid promised to the most affected developing countries, Africa has only received a fraction.
In fact, 26% of the climate funding has been allocated to Africa, compared to 43% for Asia.
733 million people worldwide do not have access to electricity, including 568 million Africans, according to the African Development Bank’s Annual Development Effectiveness Review (ADER).
The report stated that “international public financing flows to developing countries to promote clean energy have declined for the second consecutive year.”
Financing for electrification purposes to these countries stood at $10.9 billion in 2019, an approximate 24% decrease from the year prior, despite the immense sustainable development needs in most countries and the growing urgency of counter climate change efforts.
Africa, by far the least electrified continent, also includes one of the most notable electrification disparities between countries within the continent and its regions.
Sub-Saharan Africa has the lowest electrification rate, for instance, accounting for 77% of the world’s population without access to electricity.
In the region, the electrification rate has increased from 46% in 2018 to 48% in 2020, but globally, its position has deteriorated.
However, North African countries have near 100% electrification rates, namely Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, and Algeria.
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