The International Energy Agency (IEA) has announced 900 million dollars in new financial commitments to support clean cooking access across Africa, as global leaders renew efforts to address one of the continent’s major energy challenges.
The announcement was made during a virtual meeting of co-chairs and partners of the second Summit on Clean Cooking in Africa, where stakeholders reviewed progress and discussed strategies to mobilise further investment ahead of the upcoming summit.
The meeting brought together President William Ruto of Kenya, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of Norway, United States Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, African Union Commissioner for Energy and Infrastructure Lerato Mataboge, and IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.
Participants highlighted that nearly one billion people in Africa still lack access to clean cooking, contributing to significant health challenges, including about 850,000 premature deaths annually.
Dr Fatih Birol announced that the new funding commitment builds on the $2.2 billion mobilised at the inaugural 2024 Paris Summit, with $740 million of those commitments already deployed across 22 African countries.
A new IEA status report also revealed significant policy progress, with 121 new clean cooking policies introduced across more than 30 countries, representing about 80% of Africans without access to clean cooking.
The meeting also discussed strengthening international cooperation through platforms such as the United Nations General Assembly, the G20 and COP to sustain momentum and deliver stronger outcomes at the rescheduled summit.
Additionally, Dr Birol announced the launch of the Clean Cooking Security Programme, a new public-private initiative aimed at strengthening clean cooking supply chains globally, particularly in response to disruptions affecting liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies.
The meeting also marked the first plenary session of the newly established Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA), a multilateral initiative hosted by the IEA, which welcomed 12 countries as members.
The alliance will work with partners to support country-led implementation and help convert clean cooking commitments into measurable progress across Africa.