Dar es Salaam – The President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), Akinwunmi Adesina, has revealed that approximately 600,000 women and children in Africa lose their lives each year due to a lack of access to clean cooking solutions.
Adesina made this statement during the ongoing Africa Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which began on Monday, January 27, and runs through January 28.
Themed “Mission 300”, the summit focuses on addressing Africa’s energy crisis, including providing clean cooking solutions to millions of women and children on the continent.
Speaking during a panel session alongside representatives from the Rockefeller Foundation and the World Bank, Adesina highlighted the devastating impact of using firewood and charcoal for cooking, which exposes women and children to harmful smoke. He explained that 300,000 women and 300,000 children die each year due to smoke-related illnesses caused by unsafe cooking practices.
“Why should anybody have to die just for trying to cook a decent meal that is taken for granted in other parts of the world? That is not acceptable! In good conscience, we just can’t do that,” Adesina said.
He also emphasized that the lack of access to clean cooking affects 1.2 billion African women, adding that achieving universal access to clean cooking is essential for preserving lives and restoring dignity across the continent.
$4 Billion Needed Annually for Clean Cooking Solutions
Adesina disclosed that achieving universal access to clean cooking in Africa would require annual funding of $4 billion. He noted that the AfDB has already committed $2 billion towards this goal.
“It’s all it’s going to take – $4 billion a year. And we at the African Development Bank have committed $2 billion towards that,” he stated.
Countries such as Tanzania, Nigeria, and Ghana have pledged to achieve 100% access to clean cooking solutions by 2030.
Adesina stressed that the drive for clean cooking solutions is not solely about energy transition but also about safeguarding lives and ensuring dignity for African women and children.
“It’s about lives. A lot of times, we talk about energy transition, but for women in Africa, they are transitioning just to be able to cook. Africa must develop with dignity and pride. Its women must have access to clean cooking solutions,” he added.
Mission 300: Addressing Africa’s Energy Crisis
The summit also focuses on “Mission 300”, an initiative by the AfDB and the World Bank aimed at providing electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Currently, over 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa lack access to electricity, with the continent accounting for over 80% of the global electricity access deficit.
The summit has brought together African leaders, energy experts, civil society groups, and private companies to discuss strategies for achieving this ambitious target, including boosting African leadership, increasing funding, and fostering partnerships to improve energy access.
Adesina’s remarks underscore the urgent need for transformative solutions to Africa’s energy and clean cooking challenges, with a focus on improving the quality of life for millions of women and children across the continent.
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