By: Saidu Jalloh
Ghana’s High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Senalor K. Yawlui, PhD, has said that Ghana’s renewable energy initiative aligned with Africa’s broader decarbonization vision and underscores the importance of strategic partnerships in advancing the continent’s clean energy transition.
Speaking at a recent regional energy forum, Ambassador Yawlui emphasized that Africa’s renewable energy transition must be driven through public-private partnerships (PPPs), effective regulatory frameworks, and investment-friendly policies that attract credible foreign investors.
He explained that while technological and financial resources are essential, African countries must also prioritize human capacity development in renewable energy technologies. This, he said, can be achieved through effective partnerships with developed nations and institutions that possess the technical expertise to support Africa’s energy ambitions.
Ambassador Yawlui highlighted the pivotal role of the Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA) in facilitating such collaborations. He described APRA as a key platform that can catalyze technology transfer, build research capacity, and promote the exchange of knowledge and skills across the continent.
Within this context, he said Ghana’s Renewable Energy Master Plan aimed at generating at least 10% of the nation’s energy mix from renewable sources by 2030 forms a central pillar of the country’s long-term decarbonization strategy and its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
He added that Ghana’s Renewable Energy Programme, 24-Hour Economy Agenda, and Big Push Industrialization Strategy are also in strong alignment with APRA’s regional collaboration initiatives, reflecting a shared determination to expand clean energy access and industrial growth across Africa.
Ambassador Senalor called for APRA’s catalytic role in facilitating technology transfer to Africa for the development of renewable energy technologies, and the establishment of centers of excellence for collaborative research in green energy in Accra. These centers, he suggested, would train the next generation of African energy experts and strengthen local innovation capacity.
He further advocated for the harmonization of renewable energy regulations across West Africa to promote cross-border power trade and the integration of national grids through the West African Power Pool (WAPP). Such efforts, he noted, would reduce transaction costs, enhance energy security, and foster economic competitiveness.
In conclusion, Ambassador Yawlui urged APRA to also promote clean cooking policies and strategies, and to facilitate access to concessional and blended financing mechanisms that can help accelerate Africa’s transition to a sustainable, inclusive, and low-carbon energy future.
