Sharm El Sheikh,November 17, 2022-The China Pavilion side event of the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 27) was held in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, combining both online and offline participation. The event was chaired by Gu Hongbin, Vice President of the China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute (CREEI), and focused on the theme "Clean Energy Promotes Electricity Access in Africa". Key participants included Wei Xiaowei, Director of the International Cooperation Department of the National Energy Administration of China; Rashid Ali Abdallah, Executive Director of the African Energy Commission; and Li Gao, Director of the Climate Change Department of the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment. Representatives from industry groups in China, the European Union, and Africa were also in attendance.

Wu Wenhao, Executive Vice Chairman and Secretary General of IF-CSHE, participated in the event via video and delivered a speech during the panel discussion session. The event aimed to enhance China's influence in supporting Africa's energy accessibility through clean energy development, calling for global attention to electricity access for unelectrified populations in Africa, and promoting sustainable development in Africa through clean energy enhancement. Discussions covered strategic alignment, policy planning, collaborative research, capacity building, and demonstration projects to promote accessible electricity in Africa. The event also launched the "Egypt Initiative on Developing Clean Energy to Improve Electricity Access in Africa", initiated by CREEI in collaboration with various partners.

During the panel discussion, Wu Wenhao addressed issues related to strengthening planning and research cooperation between China and Africa, focusing on policy advancement, climate change adaptation, and livelihood project implementation. He highlighted China's recent developments in energy cooperation with Africa, stressing the challenges African countries face in addressing climate change due to financial and technological gaps. Wu emphasized China's successful experience in balancing environmental and economic development, which aligns with Africa's development needs. He underscored the complementary advantages of China and Africa in developing a new energy system based on renewable energy and emphasized the need for a balanced approach between low-carbon goals and economic development. Wu also pointed out Africa's vast potential for renewable energy development and China’s capacity to significantly contribute as the world's largest energy producer, consumer, and importer. He concluded by emphasizing the golden opportunity for China-Africa energy cooperation and the need for a long-term strategic development plan based on China’s simultaneous transformation and development experience to facilitate Africa's low-carbon emission development path.

The event also released the "Analysis on Electricity Access in Africa and Case Study of Off-grid Renewable Energy", which categorized, assessed, and developed strategies for commercial models of off-grid renewable energy projects. This study provides technical references for project economics and sustainable operation, aiming to improve electricity accessibility across Africa.