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Ruto urges developed nations to embrace green-energy collaborations

President William Ruto arriving in Rome for Italy - Africa summit.

By Apollo Ochieng | Monday, January 29, 2024

President William Ruto has challenged developing nations against exploiting Africa in the race towards achieving clean and renewable energy across the globe.

President William Ruto has challenged developing nations against exploiting Africa in the race towards achieving clean and renewable energy across the globe. The Head of State, speaking during the Italy-Africa summit in Rome on Monday, said that Africa is home to some of the world’s best natural resources, yet it has not benefited from most of these resources.

He said that the continent has instead become a platform for the exploration of its vast amount of solar power, abundant wind, geothermal, and hydro power. The President instead implored developed nations to adopt a collaborative approach, adding that the path towards achieving clean and renewable energy requires equity, cooperation, and solidarity among all parties.

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Ruto argued that an over-reliance on other regions such as Africa was unacceptable. “True non-predatory cooperation should ensure that African countries are not left with a stranded asset,” Ruto said. The Head of State said that while Africa's renewable energy and natural resources had the potential to aid countries such as those in the European Union to address their energy needs, realising that vision requires commitment and a collaborative approach.

“The most recent IEA publication reminded us that renewable energy is also an economically rational choice, and here, Africa has global solutions to offer while providing energy to all Africans. We are home to 60 per cent of the world’s best solar resources, and abundant wind, geothermal, and hydro potential,” Ruto said.

In his address, Ruto also argued that capital investment was a big challenge for many nations in the developing world to adopt clean energy. He instead called for equity in resource distribution, but also adding that while capital investment is important, African countries should also be given equal access to the market to distribute their resources.

“An example of this disparity is the fact that out of the USD3 trillion invested over the past two decades, only Usd60 billion reached our continent. “Yet energy security remains a distant reality for approximately 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa lacking access to electricity,” the President said. The Head of State further implored the European Union to also consider Africa while building out their Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism and other measures.