- Agreement made on the sidelines of Africa Climate Summit
- UAE’s flagship renewable energy company to work with Africa50 to identify, fast-track and scale clean energy projects
- Ahead of COP28, Masdar commits to unlock 10 gigawatts (GW) of clean energy projects for millions of people across Africa by 2030
Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company PJSC – Masdar has announced a partnership with Africa50, the pan-African infrastructure investment platform to identify, fast-track and scale clean energy projects across the continent. The UAE’s clean energy champion has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Africa50 which will work to bridge the infrastructure funding gap and mobilize public and private finance.
Masdar brings its technical expertise and extensive experience in emerging markets, while Africa50 brings its experience developing projects in Africa, which combined can help unlock Africa’s tremendous clean energy potential.
Signed by Mohamed Jameel Al Ramahi, Chief Executive Officer of Masdar and Alain Ebobissé, Chief Executive Officer of Africa50 on the sidelines of Africa Climate Summit, the first of four global climate summits ahead of COP28, the agreement will see both parties work collaboratively to catalyze sustainable development of the clean energy sector in Africa.
Masdar, one of the world’s largest clean energy companies and the largest in Africa, committed US$2 billion of equity as part of the UAE finance initiative, which was announced during Africa Climate Summit by HE Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, Chairman of Masdar and COP28 President-Designate. The initiative brings together public, private, and development capital from UAE institutions, notably from Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD), Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI), Masdar, and AMEA Power. Africa50 is expected to also join this initiative as a strategic partner.
HE Dr Sultan Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry & Advanced Technology, Chairman of Masdar and COP28 President-Designate, said: “We welcome this important partnership with Africa50 which brings a key stakeholder to the table for an inclusive, equitable and just energy transition. We look forward to working with Africa for Africa. The world must continue to close the gap on climate finance for clean energy investment in the global south which is disproportionately affected by climate change. We need the public and private sectors to work together to deliver clean energy access across Africa – a key mission and objective of Africa50. This can be accelerated in countries with robust regulatory frameworks, clear transition strategies and a real commitment to developing grid structure.”
The UAE investment initiative sits under the umbrella of Etihad 7, a development platform launched by the UAE at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week in 2022 and spear-headed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA). Announced in 2022, Etihad 7 aims to provide 100 million people across the African continent with clean electricity by 2035.
Established in 2006, Masdar is the UAE’s clean energy powerhouse. It is active in over 40 countries and has invested in a portfolio of renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of around 20 gigawatts (GW). Masdar aims to grow this to at least 100 GW by 2030. The company is also targeting green hydrogen production of 1 million tonnes per annum by the same year.
