The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported that African nations secured additional commitments totaling $900 million to expand access to clean cooking methods following a high-level virtual meeting on Thursday.
Total Commitments
These new pledges increase the total commitment amount to over $3.1 billion since the first summit held in Paris in 2024. At that event, governments, development banks, and private sector partners pledged $2.2 billion to reduce dependence on polluting fuels.
Participants in the Virtual Session
The virtual meeting brought together Kenyan President William Ruto, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, US Secretary of State Chris Wright, African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy Lerato Matabaga, and IEA Executive Director Fatimah Birlol to assess progress and announce new financial and political commitments.
The Clean Cooking Access Problem
According to the IEA, nearly one billion people in Africa still lack access to clean cooking, relying on fuels such as charcoal and firewood. These methods contribute to approximately 850,000 premature deaths annually.
Leaders' Statements and Reports
Ruto emphasized that 'ambition alone is not enough; it must be backed by investment.' The Kenyan President added that closing the clean cooking access gap in Africa will require massive investments, but annual funding remains significantly below the required level, making today's announcements highly significant.
The IEA reported that $740 million from the funds pledged at the 2024 summit has already been directed to 22 African countries. Furthermore, 121 new policies in this area have been implemented in more than 30 countries covering 80% of Africans without clean cooking access.
IEA Funding Report
Fatimah Birlol noted: 'At our 2024 Summit, we mobilized $2.2 billion in commitments from government and private sectors for clean cooking in Africa, which must be fully disbursed by 2030. I said we would track every donated dollar and every stove delivered to households. Today, I am pleased to announce that more than a third of these funds have already been distributed in just two years. Since then, new partners have made additional commitments of $900 million, and more are expected before the resumption of the Summit.'
New Programs and Definitions
The agency also launched the Clean Cooking Security Program to strengthen global fuel supply chains, especially for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), after shipping disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz affected global supplies earlier this year. Clean cooking is defined as the use of low-emission technologies and fuels, such as bioethanol, biogas, and electricity, instead of traditional sources like charcoal and firewood.
