By Maxwell Akalaare Adombila and Colleen Goko
ABIDJAN (Reuters) -South African officials ramped up their calls for a balanced approach to energy transition on Tuesday, arguing that economic development and environmental protection must work in tandem rather than in opposition.
“We must be allowed to integrate the two,” said Mineral and Energy Resources Minister Gwede Mantashe at the Africa CEO Forum in Abidjan. “We cannot kill the economy to preserve ecology.”
Mantashe highlighted what he described as an imbalance in global climate responsibilities, noting that Africa contributes the least greenhouse gas emissions globally yet faces disproportionate pressure to decarbonize.
“We have a carbon tax, but the U.S., China and Russia don’t have it. It’s a tax on us because we’re trading with the EU,” Mantashe said, describing it as an “undue burden on a neglected continent.”
South Africa, which holds the G20 presidency until November, has focused its term on “Solidarity, Equality, Sustainability,” advocating for financing solutions that support growth and inclusion alongside climate objectives.
Minister in the Presidency Kgosientsho Ramokgopa emphasized during a separate session that Africa’s energy transition must address basic needs first. About 600 million Africans still lack reliable electricity access according to the International Energy Agency.
“We transition, you don’t transition in darkness,” Ramokgopa said. “When the lights are on, when industries and manufacturing pick up, when we lift people out of hunger and into jobs — then the conversation becomes real for Africa, not just an elite debate.”
The two-day Africa CEO Forum, which ends on Tuesday, brought together finance ministers, business leaders and investors to discuss investment strategies and development priorities across the continent.
(Reporting by Maxwell Adombila, Colleen Goko; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
