The African Energy Leaders Group (AELG) is a community of energy leaders from the public and private sector dedicated to promote a sustainable energy transition in Africa in support of the objectives of the SEforALL Initiative.
The African Energy Leaders Group (AELG) is a community of energy leaders dedicated to promote a sustainable energy transition in Africa in support of the objectives of the SEforALL Initiative.
The AELG comprises high-level individuals from the public and private sector: Heads of State, CEOs of major corporations, representatives of African institutions. The AELG was launched in January 2015 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, spearheaded by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General (SRSG) for SEforALL, Kandeh Yumkella.
The Hub contributed to the establishment of the AELG, which is dedicated to unblock energy sector problems (policy and project related) hindering the progress towards the SEforALL targets. The Secretariat of the AELG is housed at the African Development Bank in conjunction with the SEforALL Africa Hub. Funding for the initial functioning of the Secretariat has been provided by public and private donors.
On 30 June 2015 in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire’s President Alassane Ouattara headed a top-level line-up of political and business leaders to launch the West African Energy Leaders Group (W-AELG), including the Nigerian Vice-President Yemi Osibajo and the Prime Ministers of Côte d’Ivoire, Benin, Mali, Niger and Togo. Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and former Ghanaian President John Kufuor were also present, as well as leading private-sector figures including Nigerian entrepreneur Tony Elumelu, and Senegalese-American musician Akon, whose Akon Lighting Africa programme is installing solar lighting for communities in 11 African countries. An overview of the meeting is available here.
The AELG intends to advance solutions for regional energy sector problems, to unblock trans-boundary energy projects, to build regional and thematic collaborations, to push the agenda of regional economic integration. The AELG will support energy reforms and energy programs that contribute to the pursuit of the SEforALL objectives.
