First African hydrogen summit for green energy solutions set for Namibia
The inaugural Global African Hydrogen Summit (GAh2S) is set to be held in Namibia from 03 to 05 September, as part of its commitment to COP28 initiatives, the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board announced last week on Friday.
In a statement, the development board said the three-day Summit will convene heads of state, government agencies, industry business leaders, project developers, investors, and technologists from across Africa and around the globe to drive critical investments and financing into bankable green energy projects.
Speaking at the launch of the summit, the Minister of Mines and Energy, Tom Alweendo emphasised that the world is facing an unprecedented climate crisis and that the urgency to transition to clean and sustainable energy sources has never been more apparent.
Alweendo said transitioning has become a global imperative that demands collaborative efforts and innovative solutions, and Namibia is poised to play a pivotal role in this global transition agenda.
“Africa’s energy position is changing, and it is against this backdrop that as a country, we are positioning ourselves as the sustainable energy capital of Africa,” he said.
This will not only be achieved through the sustainable beneficiation of our primary energy resources but also through the development of green and blue economic growth and energies, investing in platforms that facilitate dialogue and partnerships, skills and technology transfers, as well as trade between Africa and the rest of the world, he added.
Themed “From Ambition to Action: Fuelling Africa’s Green Industrial Revolution,” the summit will focus on Africa’s global role in the hydrogen market, fostering collaboration in policy and investment, while it aims to harness Africa’s potential for green manufacturing, creating jobs, industries, and addressing energy poverty sustainably.
Several African countries, including Namibia, Egypt, Kenya, Mauritania, Morocco, and South Africa, are actively pursuing clean hydrogen production and have collectively formed the Africa Green Hydrogen Alliance in May 2023 to collaborate on capacity creation, financing, certification, and regulatory and policy agendas for green hydrogen development in Africa.
