COP30-IEA High-Level Dialogue at Africa Climate Summit Advances Urgent Energy Access Goals

The second High-Level Energy Transition Dialogue, part of the COP30-IEA series, was held today under the joint leadership of Brazil’s COP30 Presidency and the International Energy Agency (IEA), spotlighting urgent actions to expand energy access, unlock financing, and accelerate climate goals across Africa.

Co-chaired by COP30 President-Designate Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago and IEA Deputy Executive Director Mary Burce Warlick, the dialogue took place on the opening day of the Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The event brought together over 50 energy and climate leaders, including ministers, industry experts, and civil society representatives, to shape the agenda for COP30, scheduled to be hosted in Belém, Brazil.

The discussions centred on African energy priorities, with a focus on accelerating the delivery of existing energy commitments and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Participants explored strategies to achieve universal electricity access, promote clean cooking solutions, mobilise investments for sustainable energy projects, and ensure that energy policies benefit local communities while enhancing security, economic growth, and sustainability.

Key attendees included COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev; Ethiopia’s State Minister for Water and Energy Asfaw Dingamo; UN Special Advisor on Climate Action Selwin Hart; Tanzania’s Climate Envoy Richard Muyungi; UK’s Special Representative for Climate Rachel Kyte; Norway’s Climate and Security Envoy Hans Olav Ibrekk; France’s Climate Envoy Benoit Faraco; Italy’s Environment and Energy Undersecretary Claudio Barbaro; COP30 Climate High-Level Champion Dan Ioschpe; and Dymphna van der Lans, CEO of the Clean Cooking Alliance.

The High-Level Dialogues build on the momentum from previous events that contributed to the UAE Consensus at COP28 and shaped energy-related outcomes at COP29 in Baku. Organised with the support of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Secretariat and the UN Secretary-General’s Climate Action Team, the dialogues aim to convene global decision-makers to drive energy solutions ahead of COP30 and beyond.

The next dialogue in the series is scheduled to take place later this month in New York, in conjunction with the United Nations General Assembly.