Africa Climate Summit Hosts Second High-Level Dialogue At COP30-IEA To Accelerate Energy Access And Financing

Brazil’s COP30 Presidency and the International Energy Agency (IEA) today hosted the second High-Level Energy Transition Dialogue, bringing together global energy and climate leaders to help shape the agenda and outcomes for COP30 in Belém, Brazil. Co-chaired by COP30 President-Designate Ambassador André Corrêa do Lago and IEA Deputy Executive Director Mary Burce Warlick, the event also contributed to the opening day of the second Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

The discussions focused on Africa’s energy priorities and explored how COP30 can accelerate the implementation of existing energy commitments and Nationally Determined Contributions, along with other urgent goals in the energy sector. Key topics included achieving universal access to electricity and clean cooking, mobilising investment for sustainable energy projects that drive security and economic growth, and ensuring that energy policies deliver tangible benefits to local communities.

The event brought together more than 50 participants, including ministers, industry leaders, and civil society representatives. Notable 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 Special Representative for Climate Rachel Kyte; Norway’s Special Envoy for Climate and Security Hans Olav Ibrekk; France’s Climate Envoy Benoit Faraco; Italy’s Undersecretary Claudio Barbaro; COP30 Climate High-Level Champion Dan Ioschpe; and Clean Cooking Alliance CEO Dymphna van der Lans.

The 2025 High-Level Dialogues build on the momentum of previous editions, which influenced the UAE Consensus at COP28 in Dubai and shaped the energy 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 serve as a platform for decision-makers to inform COP30’s energy agenda and future policy direction. The next Dialogue is scheduled later this month in New York alongside the United Nations General Assembly.