President Ramaphosa participates at the Global Citizen Scaling up renewables in Africa campaign

The article is a transcript of a high-profile event in Johannesburg, South Africa, on the eve of the G20 Leaders Summit, marking the culmination of the 'Scaling Up Renewables in Africa' campaign launched a year earlier by Global Citizen, the European Commission, and the Republic of South Africa. The event, hosted under South Africa's G20 presidency emphasizing African priorities, features speeches, pledges, and discussions aimed at addressing Africa's energy poverty despite its vast renewable resources (solar, wind, hydro), where 40% of the population—around 600 million people—lacks electricity access, impacting education, healthcare, economic activity, and daily life. Key speakers include South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who highlights the need for collaboration, a just energy transition, and harnessing Africa's potential for global benefit; European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who stresses dignity, sustainability, and economic opportunities, noting that only 2% of the $2 trillion global clean energy investment last year went to Africa; and Global Citizen CEO Hugh Evans, who reports 1.4 million citizen actions driving progress toward electrifying 10 million households. The event includes video messages from global leaders and institutions pledging support for clean, affordable energy to foster growth, jobs, and resilience. Ireland's Prime Minister Micheál Martin discusses lessons from Ireland's renewable transition, including onshore/offshore wind (aiming for 37 GW by 2050), regulatory certainty, community benefits, and public-private partnerships, adaptable to African contexts through knowledge sharing and grid integration. A major pledging session features commitments from governments (e.g., Austria: €5 million; Denmark: €80 million), multilateral banks (e.g., European Investment Bank: €2 billion over two years; EBRD: €2 billion in support; African Development Bank: advancing Mission 300 to electrify 300 million by 2030, with 50 million households targeted), and private sector leaders: - Harith General Partners: Scaling to 5 GW, supporting 850,000 households, 25% renewables. - Innova South Africa: 1.2 GW renewable investment (R32 billion/~€1.5 billion), electrifying 800,000 homes. - Octopus Energy Generation: $450 million for solar/wind, powering 1.1 million people. - Genesis Energy: Up to 10 GW over 10 years ($8.5-10 billion), reaching 33 million people annually, creating 250,000 jobs. - CrossBoundary Energy: $1 billion in projects by 2030, with $200 million new debt. - Sun King: 50 million off-grid solar systems by 2030 (3.8 GW, reaching 200 million people, $5.6 billion capital). - Scatec: $500 million equity by 2030 (unlocking $5 billion, 10 GW, majority in Africa), including 1.1 GW solar and 500 MWh storage in South Africa. Celebrities Siv Ngesi and Pearl Thusi underscore the human impact on education and health. Von der Leyen announces Team Europe's new €7 billion pledge, bringing the campaign total to €15.5 billion, generating 27 GW of clean power for 17.5 million households—doubling Africa's current renewable capacity and covering 1/6 of needed investments for 2030 energy/climate targets. Ramaphosa and Evans emphasize implementation, African ownership, local skills, and a people-centered just transition, with South Africa targeting 45 GW renewables by 2035. The event ends with calls for ongoing global solidarity to end energy poverty, create jobs, boost economies, and achieve sustainable development, inspired by Nelson Mandela's words on overcoming poverty as an act of justice.