UAE, Dubai: PRESIDENT Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan on Saturday said clean cooking energy is the heart of climate change mitigation for inclusive sustainable development in Africa.
Dr Samia made the statement while presiding over the launch of the Africa Women Clean Cooking Support Programme (AWCCSP) which was one of sideline events at the on-going Conference of the Parties (COP 28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
She said the urgency for fostering clean cooking fuel is rooted from the fact that as of today 80 per cent of Sub Saharan Africa's households use wooden biomass energy which has adverse impact on the environment and health.
Dr Samia expounded that such a portion of wooden biomass energy use has been culminating in deforestation amounting to 3.9 million between 2010 and 2020 hectares of forest in Africa, a situation that retards the continent's efforts on cutting carbon emission (CO2).
Dr Samia said the wooden biomass energy has been also leading to women and girls' health problems after a prolonged inhalation of thick fumes from firewood, saying it is from this ground the AWCCSP is designed to solve the problems pertaining to loss of biodiversity.
"We decided to launch this programme to show our own commitment to mitigations, we want to show that even though our emission levels are relatively low, we will also act and deliver," she said.
"Clean cooking energy is about mitigation, women empowerment and welfare. Women and girls bear the brunt of lack of sustainable energy cooking solutions" Dr Samia stressed.
She said for decades women in Africa have been using a lot of their time in gathering firewood which comes with lack of time engaging in economic production, adding that the AWCCSP will bridge the economic disparity while making Africa green.
She said the programme which encompasses promotion of use of gas cooking stoves and gas cylinders in Africa, Tanzania in particular by fostering energy and policies changes to cater for the earth's prosperity, will cut carbon emission significantly.
She also used the platform to call upon fellow heads of state and stakeholders including the United Nation Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) to collaborate with Tanzania in fast tracking realisation of positive results from the programme.
Through the agenda-responsive and fair energy transition method, President Samia believes they can transform the energy landscape, empower women and girls, and usher in a more sustainable future for Africa.
"Your invaluable contribution will be the driving force behind this transformative journey," she noted.
Dr Samia said collective commitment should manifest itself in concrete actions that empower and uplift people's lives.
"The insights shared and commitments made here today give us an impetus to push forward with this programme," she said, adding "I'm convinced that we can see collaboration and accelerate the achievement of universal access to clean cooking across Africa."
"As a way forward, I wish to propose that in collaboration with other states and partners... Tanzania offers to convene an expert meeting in Tanzania on the date specified and will inform all of you." Dr Samia noted.
According to Dr Samia, a group of specialists will be gathered to discuss specifics on how to organise and implement the initiative to guarantee that a broad effect can be achieved.
For his part, South Africa President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa commended Dr Samia for taking a leading role in calling for clean cooking energy which is an urgent development issue.
He said South Africa has well succeeded in ensuring electricity access across the country by over 93 per cent but mostly powered by coal which is fossil fuel.
He argued that as Africa undergoes transition to clean cooking energy capitalising in available renewable energy source is a must.
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Mr Ramaphosa said the country will achieve its renewable energy ambition by engaging people in rural and urban areas including those investors in fossil fuel to transform their power plants into clean ones.
African Development Bank Group's (AfDB) President, Dr Akinwumi Adesina highlighted the urgent nature of transition to clean energy in Africa, saying at least 300,000 women and 300,000 girls die every year in the continent due to unclean cooking energy usage.
Dr Adesina said realisation of clean cooking energy all over the continent requires a total of 4 billion US dollar (about 10tri/-) of investment per year.
He called upon African countries to effectively use the natural gases available as pivot for clean cooking energy utilisation in households.
The COP 28 kicked off on November 30 and is expected to conclude on December 12 this year.
