Speech by Executive Vice-President Šefčovič at the International Energy Agency's Clean Cooking in Africa Summit

Speech by EVP Šefčovič at IEA Clean Cooking in Africa Summit

Dear Presidents,

Dear Prime Minister,

Excellencies, Honourable guests,

Ladies and gentlemen.

It is a pleasure to be here today, and I would like to thank our good friend Fatih and the International Energy Agency, as well as the African Development Bank and the Clean Cooking Alliance, for organising this very important event.

It gives us an opportunity to discuss an issue that is often overlooked, but which as we heard also this morning affects the everyday lives of so many.

2.3 billion people around the world lack access to clean cooking.

This is a particular concern in Africa, and those who know me a little bit that Africa is very close to my heart because I served in Africa, I feel for Africa and I brought the most precious gift from Africa - my daughter was born there, in Zimbabwe.

Therefore, for me the reality that across the whole continent, the people are dying every day as a result of not having access to clean cooking is clearly unacceptable.

On top of it and especially when we are talking about the overwhelmingly majority of women and children who are the most affected.

But this problem can be fixed. I am obliged to IEA that they put a concrete figure on it. We are talking about 4 billion US dollars of capital investment per year and that would be enough to ensure that everyone in Africa has access to clean cooking by 2030.

So together we can fix an issue affecting billions of people, in just 6 years, with an amount of funding well within our reach.

And if you want to be honest, let's look around the current global situation. There are not that many global issues and problems that can be solved within 6 years and with this amount of money, especially if they have such a massive negative impact; economically, environmentally, and of course when it comes to such an extent to the issue of gender equality.

So it is quite clear that we must act. And we must act now.

I would like to reassure you that the European Union is fully committed to playing its part.

The EU funding already supports many initiatives, such as the CookFund programme in Tanzania, which has so far supported small and medium enterprises distributing clean cooking devices and fuels.

Or the project on Reducing the Climate Impact of Cooking in Rwanda, which supports the sustainable production and dissemination of improved cookstoves.

We know that these initiatives work and that they bring results. Therefore, I am pleased to announce today that, as Team Europe, we have mobilised 400 million euros for clean cooking activities under the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative.

I am extremely happy that 150 million euros of this came from EU funds alone.

We will make sure that this funding is directed notably to Spark+, the first fund dedicated to clean cooking financing companies that offer next-generation energy solutions in sub-Saharan Africa.

And the Strengthening of the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem for Clean Cooking programme.

Team Europe will also soon launch a Regional Clean Cooking Action for West Africa initiative, supporting policy-making, private sector development, and an enabling environment for cleaner cooking solutions.

And we will continue to promote collaboration between multilateral and national partners.

We in the EU welcome very much all international endeavours, such as the Clean Cooking Alliance, the High-Level Platform for Action, and the Global e-Cooking Coalition.

Because we believe that through initiatives like these, we can foster innovative partnerships to support market development and private sector growth.

I would say that here the one word that will be key is: cooperation, synergy and complementary support to each other to make sure that together we will develop the necessary results.

All this will be vital for our efforts to make a difference to the lives of people all around the world, but especially in Africa, when it comes to clean cooking.

Thank you.