Historic moment for Africa

• Samia ushers in delegates for Energy Summit

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA marks a pivotal moment in reinforcing the continent’s collective efforts toward universal electricity access as African leaders converge in Dar es Salaam to chart a new course aimed at connecting 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.

Driven by the bold vision of ensuring all people across the continent have access to power, the leaders are gathering at the African Energy Summit, co-organised by the World Bank and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to foster actionable partnerships and commitments toward realising this goal.

The two-day summit, which begins today and concludes tomorrow, has attracted a record number of participants, including 25 Heads of State and Government, 25 billionaires interested in undertaking major power projects and over 40 leaders from international institutions and other development partners.

Among the distinguished attendees are World Bank Group (WBG) President Mr Ajay Banga, AfDB President Dr Akinwumi Adesina and the UN’s Deputy Secretary-General, Ms Amina Mohammed.

Speaking in a televised message released over the weekend, President Samia Suluhu Hassan warmly welcomed all participants to Tanzania, emphasising the country’s readiness to partner and collaborate in advancing universal electricity access across Africa.

“By providing a platform to consolidate commitments and announce partnerships, the Africa Energy Summit represents a critical juncture in our drive toward the 2030 goal of connecting 300 million Africans to electricity,” she said.

“As we reflect on advancing energy access for Africa’s development, Tanzania is proud to be at the forefront of this energy transformation.

Let us now commit to playing our part in ensuring Africa meets the energy needs of its people.”

The summit, dubbed “Mission 300,” highlights the ambitious target of connecting 300 million people to electricity by 2030, out of the 685 million Africans currently living without power.

In her address, President Samia noted that the summit marks a historical moment in African leaders’ collective efforts to accelerate energy access across the continent through bold actions aimed at powering Africa’s future.

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Held at the Julius Nyerere International Convention Centre (JNICC), the summit is supported by the Global Energy Alliance for People and the Planet, the Rockefeller Foundation and Sustainable Energy for All.

Looking ahead, Dr Samia said that Tanzania is poised to play a key role in Africa’s energy transition and the development of fourth-generation technologies.

She also noted that the summit would help enforce the continent’s ambitious vision, as outlined in the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration and National Energy Compacts for all countries, which guide them toward achieving universal electricity access.

“Together, we can create a future where energy transforms lives, powers industries and fuels vibrant economies across our vast continent,” President Samia said.

At press conference held on Saturday, Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, highlighted the significant turnout expected at the summit, which will surpass other high-level events in the country, including the 1999 funeral of the founding father, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere, which attracted 19 Heads of State and the 2019 Southern African Development Community (SADC) summit, which hosted 15 presidents.

Amb Kombo mentioned countries such as Algeria, Ethiopia, Zambia, Lesotho, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Somalia, Botswana, Guinea Bissau, Libya, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Burundi, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, as some of the nations whose Heads of State are attending.

Sierra Leone’s President, Mr Julius Maada Bio, arrived in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.

The summit will also bring together ministers for finance and energy from across Africa, as well as prime ministers and vice presidents from countries whose heads of state will not be attending.

Minister Kombo explained that the summit would focus on power connection, distribution and supply within and outside Tanzania, leveraging increased electricity production from major energy projects such as the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP), which is set to add 2,115 MW to the national grid upon completion.

“We expect to secure massive partnerships not only to accelerate electricity access but also to deepen our country’s economic diplomacy by increasing visibility of existing economic opportunities,” he said.

Amb Kombo added that these efforts would also enable Tanzania to export power to neighbouring countries, further advancing the continent’s goal of universal electricity access.

He said that President Samia will use bilateral talks after the summit to explore partnerships on advancing clean cooking initiatives in Africa.

This key intervention aims to shift from using wood biomass fuels, such as firewood, to more eco-friendly energy sources like electricity and gas. This move would also help combat lung diseases caused by unclean cooking methods.

Minister Kombo also noted that Tanzania is positioning itself to advance its economic diplomacy, helping its citizens gain employment opportunities in international organisations like the World Bank and the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Furthermore, he mentioned that many leaders have expressed interest in visiting Tanzania’s tourism attractions, such as the Serengeti National Park and Zanzibar’s beautiful beaches.

Mr Kombo attributed the global attention surrounding the summit to President Dr Samia’s commitment to promoting clean cooking and electricity access across the continent, as well as the success of the Royal Tour film, which showcased the country’s beauty.

Overall, the summit is expected to bring together 1,500 participants, including the presidents of the two international financial bodies.