The Vice President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Philip Mpango, has called on African countries to join President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s initiative on energy transition across the continent.
Dr. Mpango made this call during the video conference of the 42nd session of the Steering Committee of Heads of State and Government of the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), which was presided over by the President of Egypt, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
“Tanzania calls upon African countries to join hands in advancing the clean cooking agenda as championed by Her Excellency Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan and remains committed to the Dar es Salaam Declaration, which aims to provide access to electricity for 300 million people in Africa,” said Dr. Mpango, who was representing President Samia.
According to the World Bank, about 81 percent of households in Sub-Saharan Africa rely on fuelwood and charcoal for cooking. This practice poses health risks, especially for women, and contributes significantly to deforestation.
In an effort to combat this issue, the President of Tanzania initiated the Africa Women Clean Cooking Support Programme (AWCCSP) at the Conference of the Parties (COP 28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2023. The initiative aims to raise awareness, foster partnerships, and secure funding for clean cooking solutions.
During the AUDA-NEPAD meeting, the heads of state and governments discussed developments related to the feasibility study for establishing the African Development Fund, as well as the second ten-year plan for implementing Agenda 2063 with the goal of addressing the challenges facing development on the continent.
Dr. Mpango emphasized Tanzania’s mission to actively contribute to the implementation of the African Development Agenda 2063 through strategic investments in various sectors, including transport infrastructure, energy, agriculture, industry, information technology, environmental conservation, and human resource development.
He also highlighted the ongoing effects of climate change, such as droughts, floods, desertification, biodiversity loss, and growing food insecurity. He stressed the need for countries to take decisive action against the impacts of climate change.
“Africa must prioritize building resilience. However, this will require reliable funding to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change,” said Dr. Mpango. “We also need to harness opportunities in Africa’s energy sector, especially by tapping into abundant renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and geothermal.”
