8 November 2018: During the Africa Investment Forum in Johannesburg, the European Union and African Union launched the EU-Africa high-level platform on sustainable energy investments in Africa. The platform initiative connects key players from the sustainable energy sector from the public and private sectors of Europe and Africa.

Launched under the Africa-Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs, the platform aims to boost strategic investments and strengthening the role of the private sector in sustainable energy in Africa. The platform will connect public, private and financial operators to examine strategic interests for sustainable job growth. It also aims to attract responsible private investments for sustainable energy in Africa.

If we are serious about sustainable energy investments in Africa, we need everybody on board, including the private sector.

The platform will focus on three lines of work, including: identifying energy investments for high impact job creation; energy investment analysis for policy and sustainable business; and increasing private sector interactions between Africa and Europe. Speaking at a launch during the Africa Investment Forum, Elżbieta Bieńkowska, EU Commissioner for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises, stated that “if we are serious about sustainable energy investments in Africa, we need everybody on board, including the private sector.”

The ‘Africa-Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs,’ builds on commitments adopted at the 2017 African Union- European Union Summit. The EU aims to continue partnerships for assisting countries to boost renewable energy generation and diversification of energy sources. The African Investment Forum was held 7-9 November 2018 in Johannesburg, South Africa. [EC Press Release] [Africa-Europe Alliance for Sustainable Investment and Jobs] [African Investment Forum]