Ghana's Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, says, developing Africa's green manufacturing capabilities is one of the key strategies for fostering growth, creating decent job opportunities, and eradicating poverty while ensuring that Africa does not fall behind in the global energy transition agenda.

“Developing Africa’s green manufacturing capabilities is one of the key strategies to fostering growth, producing decent employment opportunities, and eradicating poverty while ensuring that Africa is not left behind in the global energy transition agenda,” the Minister said.

Dr Prempeh made the statement on Tuesday at the launch of the Africa Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative (AREMI), which aims to drive investment and mobilise action in African countries to scale up renewable energy manufacturing capabilities.

Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), the African Climate Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, ClimateWorks Foundation, and the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association (CREIA) launched the Africa Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative (AREMI) at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week to drive investment and mobilise action in African countries to scale up renewable energy manufacturing capabilities.

According to the Minister, his African counterparts and stakeholders should develop bold and implementable economic models and solutions to enable the realisation of Africa's green manufacturing aspirations.

“I, therefore, urge my fellow Ministers and stakeholders to come up with bold and implementable economic models and solutions that will enable the realisation of Africa’s green manufacturing aspirations,” he said.

Speakers at the event included Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy, Antha Williams, who leads environment programmes at Bloomberg Philanthropies, Helen Mountford, President and CEO of ClimateWorks Foundation, and Saliem Fakir, Executive Director of the African Climate Foundation.

The rest are; Jeanette M. Gitobu, Director of Women in Wind Global Leadership Program & Policy Advisor, Africa at the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC), and Mr. Li Junfeng, President of the Chinese Renewable Energy Industries Association (CREIA).

The Africa Renewable Energy Manufacturing Initiative will catalyse new levels of collaboration to scale and boost green manufacturing capacity, create good jobs, and establish renewable energy as a critical economic anchor in Africa and around the world.

Along with the launch of AREMI, SEforALL released a new report titled Africa Renewable Energy Manufacturing: Opportunity and Advancement, which was funded by the African Climate Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and ClimateWorks Foundation.

The report examines Africa's renewable energy manufacturing landscape, identifies pathways to accelerate the development of a homegrown renewable energy industry, and provides a road map to help Africa bridge the gap and achieve a just, equitable, and green energy transition.

SEforALL's analysis identifies an initial first wave of eight countries - Algeria, Egypt, Ghana, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Tunisia - with medium or high feasibility to localize solar or battery storage manufacturing capacities and build the tools and incentives to favorably increase investment opportunities, based on multiple sources, including an economic analysis from McKinsey and Company.

The report also outlines existing financing barriers and policy areas where countries can take action to attract foreign investment.