Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen unveiled a €545 million package for the "Team Europe" campaign to accelerate Africa's transition to clean energy. This announcement, made at the Global Citizen Festival via video message during the United Nations General Assembly, marks an important milestone in the "Scaling Up Renewables in Africa" ​​campaign, organized in partnership with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
This campaign works to raise global awareness and mobilize public and private investment for clean energy generation and access across Africa.
According to a statement issued by the European Commission in Brussels, in early October, the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels will bring together governments, financial institutions, and private sector leaders to provide additional support for Africa's clean energy transition. This momentum will continue at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg. World leaders and investors will come together to commit to the partnerships and financing needed to support Africa's renewable future. President von der Leyen said: "The choices Africa makes today shape the future of the entire world. The continent's transition to clean energy will create jobs, enhance stability, boost growth, and achieve our global climate goals. Through the Global Gateway investment strategy, the European Union is fully committed to supporting Africa on its clean energy journey."
Africa has enormous renewable energy potential, yet nearly 600 million people still live without electricity. How this clean energy transition unfolds will play a major role in shaping future development, regional stability, and progress on climate change.
Investing now in solar, wind, hydropower, and geothermal energy is not only a moral and development imperative, but also a strategic choice that strengthens supply chains, creates up to 38 million green jobs by 2030, and makes energy systems more resilient. Through the Global Gateway investment strategy, the EU is contributing to accelerating this transition by providing significant investments in cross-border electricity generation, transmission, and trade, while building stable international partnerships. Accelerating Clean Energy Projects Across Africa
The current €545 million funding package expands the EU and Team Europe’s clean energy efforts in Africa, with new projects supporting electrification, modernizing electricity grids, and improving access to renewable energy.
The announced projects include:
Côte d’Ivoire (€359.4 million): High-voltage transmission line (“Dorselle East”) to enhance regional power distribution;
Cameroon (€59.1 million): Rural electrification for 687 communities, reaching over 2.5 million people;
Republic of Congo (€3.5 million): Expanding access to renewable energy, including solar, wind, and hydropower;
Lesotho (€25.9 million): Unleashing wind and hydropower through the Lesotho Renewables Programme;
Ghana (€2 million): Paving the way for a large-scale solar power plant and regional energy trade;
Central Africa (€3.3 million):
Technical assistance mission to the Central African Power Pool (CAPP) (€1.6 million);
Central African Power Pool (CAPP) Research and Infrastructure Funding Facility (€0.5 million);
Feasibility study for the Boucle de l'Amitié, a cross-border transmission line linking Pointe-Noire, Brazzaville, and Kinshasa (€1.2 million);
Madagascar (€33.2 million): Scaling up electrification using mini-grids in rural areas;
Mozambique (€13 million): Supporting the transition to low-emission energy and encouraging private sector participation;
Somalia (€45.5 million): Increasing access to affordable renewable energy, promoting circular economy practices, and building climate-resilient agrifood systems.
Scaling Up Renewables in Africa Campaign
The Scaling Up Renewables in Africa campaign is implemented in partnership with the international advocacy organization Global Citizen and relies on policy support from the International Energy Agency. The campaign aims to mobilize governments, financial institutions, the private sector, and philanthropists to commit to new policy and financing commitments. These entities are encouraged to pledge capital or provide support, such as expertise and technical assistance. The campaign will conclude with a high-level event on the occasion of the G20 Summit in South Africa, on November 22-23, 2025.
The campaign also maintains broader momentum toward achieving the ambitious goals of tripling renewable energy use and doubling global energy efficiency, set at COP28.