President William Ruto made a case for African countries to leverage energy resources to propel their economic growth and development.
Describing it as the elephant in the room, Ruto who was speaking during the Africa-Italy forum in Rome on Monday said Africa must be allowed to harness her natural resources wealth for the benefit of the people.
“A discussion on energy security would not be complete without addressing gas. Africa has abundant untapped gas reserves, and Europe desires to diversify its gas sourcing. It is an important industry for Italy,”
“I firmly believe that no African country can be asked to halt the exploration of its natural resources, including fossil fuels,” he said
He said the most recent IEA publication indicated that renewable energy is an economically rational choice, and Africa has solutions to offer in this regard while providing energy to all Africans.
“We are home to 60% of the world’s best solar resources, and abundant wind, geothermal, and hydro potential,” he said
“True non-predatory cooperation should ensure that African countries are not left with a stranded asset,” he added
President Ruto daid he believed gas remains a temporary solution, primarily for export and only with fair and equitable deal structuring. He reiterated that the urgent and sustained focus should be on renewables.
He told the European Union leadership that the path ahead demands unwavering determination, anchored firmly in the values of equity, cooperation, and solidarity.
“Reflecting on the visionary legacy of Enrico Mattei, who championed an agenda rooted in equality and mutual respect, I am deeply convinced that today marks the beginning of a new era of mutually beneficial cooperation,” he said
