An Africa-Europe energy partnership will give the African continent access to clean and affordable energy. "If we are to eradicate poverty in Africa, then we must eradicate energy poverty”, said Wieczorek-Zeul.
The German Development Ministry is hosting the Energy Forum jointly with the European Commission as part of Germany’s 2007 EU presidency programme. The outcomes will be discussed at the informal meeting of EU Heads of State and Government on 8–9 March in Brussels. They will also be on the agenda of the G8 Summit in Heiligendamm at the beginning of June.
The Energy Forum completes an important lap of the German presidency. "We must find a way to prevent our energy demands exhausting the Earth’s ecosystems”, warned the Minister.
Using climate compatible energy to spare resources
Wieczorek-Zeul: "A lasting energy partnership is of mutual benefit to Africa and Europe”.
The aim, Wieczorek-Zeul explained, is to support African countries in meeting the huge energy needs involved in achieving economic growth. Renewable energy resources will be promoted as a matter of priority to avoid potential negative impacts on the climate. This is of global interest given that the effects of climate change do not stop at national borders. Renewable energy also reduces African economies’ dependence on highly-priced oil supplies.
A further aim is to foster improved energy efficiency, both in developing and in transition countries.
Africa has abundant fossil and renewable energy resources at its disposal, yet some 70 percent of people there rely on traditional biomass as their only source of fuel. Many women, for example, spend hours every day in the painstaking search for firewood.
Achieving the Millennium Development Goals
Minister Wieczorek-Zeul sees access to an adequate energy supply as a key prerequisite in achieving the UN Millennium Development Goals – goals which are to be reached by 2015.
In September 2000, representatives from 189 countries attended a UN Millennium Summit in New York. This resulted in the adoption of the UN Millennium Declaration which later gave rise to the eight Millennium Development Goals. The first goal is to reduce by half the proportion of people who suffer from extreme poverty and hunger.
>> The Millennium Development Goals
