A worldwide clean-energy mobilisation marketing campaign collectively led by Ursula von der Leyen, European Fee President and Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President have secured €15.5 billion to assist Africa’s transition to renewable power.
The year-long initiative, undertaken in partnership with World Citizen and backed by the Worldwide Power Company, seeks to broaden electrical energy entry, stimulate sustainable industrial progress, and speed up Africa’s shift from fossil fuels to cleaner, trendy power methods.
The marketing campaign additionally feeds into worldwide efforts to scale renewable power deployment and increase world power effectivity.
The European Union contributed greater than €15.1 billion of the full sum, whereas President von der Leyen, on behalf of Workforce Europe, pledged over €10 billion, with the rest coming from substantial bilateral contributions by EU Member States, European growth finance establishments, and personal investments mobilised by way of the marketing campaign.
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Talking on the shut of the pledging occasion in Johannesburg, von der Leyen mentioned the worldwide response demonstrated unprecedented assist for Africa’s clean-energy ambitions.
She emphasised that the bundle has the potential to supply life-changing electrical energy entry to tens of millions of households, unlock new financial alternatives, and lay the muse for thriving markets and new jobs.
She described the initiative as a future led by Africa however strongly supported by Europe, a companion she mentioned stays dedicated to the continent’s long-term power wants.
Workforce Europe’s commitments consist of latest World Gateway tasks supported by contributions from Germany, France, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain, alongside the European Funding Financial institution and the European Financial institution for Reconstruction and Improvement. Extra bilateral financing arrived from Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, Austria and Eire, whereas the EBRD introduced an additional funding bundle exceeding €600 million.
The African Improvement Financial institution backed the marketing campaign by pledging to allocate a minimum of 20 per cent of the African Improvement Fund’s seventeenth replenishment to renewable power. Norway additionally joined the hassle with an estimated €53 million contribution by way of its assist to the Fund between 2026 and 2028.
Organisers say the pledges secured by way of the initiative will generate 26.8 gigawatts of renewable power and supply dependable electrical energy to 17.5 million households presently dwelling with out steady entry.
Based on a press release by the EU, the dimensions of those outcomes displays the urgency of addressing Africa’s power hole, with greater than 600 million individuals nonetheless missing electrical energy regardless of the continent possessing the world’s most ample photo voltaic assets.
It famous that Africa attracts solely a small fraction of world power funding, and continues to face excessive financing prices, logistical obstacles and provide chain challenges.
The “Scaling up Renewables in Africa” marketing campaign was launched in November 2024 in Rio de Janeiro to galvanise governments, monetary establishments, philanthropies and the non-public sector towards stronger clean-energy commitments.
It additionally helped construct momentum towards world objectives agreed at COP28, together with tripling renewable power capability and doubling power effectivity by 2030.
“Of the €10 billion pledged by President von der Leyen on behalf of Workforce Europe, €3.1 billion had beforehand been unveiled throughout key worldwide summits all through 2025, together with the EU–South Africa Summit, the Mattei Plan occasion, the Africa Local weather Summit, the UN Common Meeting and the World Gateway Discussion board.
“The remaining €7 billion was introduced through the last pledging occasion in Johannesburg on 21 November.
“A number of European establishments additionally signalled plans to extend renewable-energy investments by 2030, amounting to a further €4 billion, demonstrating long-term dedication past the present marketing campaign”, the assertion reads.
The EU confirmed that the brand new financing commitments fall below the World Gateway technique, notably the Africa-Europe Inexperienced Power Initiative, which helps renewable power technology tasks, trendy electrical energy grids, and regional power-trade infrastructure throughout the continent.
