China adds spark to continent's energy plans

Nation deemed right fit for Africa's ambitions to drive industry, forum told

With Africa keen to develop its energy sector, China is seen as a reliable partner for the continent thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative and other platforms for engagement between the two sides.

In a seminar on Wednesday, participants said African countries need a reliable partner to overcome the technological and financial barriers to unleashing the potential of their energy riches and drive their industrialization plans.

Speakers at the seminar, co-hosted by the China-Africa Center at the Africa Policy Institute in Kenya and the China National Petroleum Corporation Economic and Technological Research Institute, agreed that China has the perfect credentials as a partner for Africa.

The participants pointed to the complementary advantages arising from cooperation between Africa and China and the huge potential for collaboration in energy and industrial development.

China's experience with boosting its wind turbine and solar photovoltaic panel industries can be highly valuable for African countries and companies that wish to develop their own production facilities, they said.

Malcolm Marega, an oil and gas consultant, said it is cheaper for African countries to invest in solar technology compared with electricity lines for serving remote areas.

"Electricity lines moving from Kenya's capital, Nairobi, for instance, to a very remote part of the country might be highly costly. Whereas, using solar technology it's easier and possible to have microgrids that serve an entire community cost effectively," Marega said.

"Some of these technologies can be enhanced and replicated in various parts of the continent."

Peter Kagwanja, chief executive at the Africa Policy Institute, said China-Africa cooperation in energy is not new and that the relationship must be upgraded even further.

Kagwanja highlighted the benefits that have come from the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, a platform for exchanges and collaboration between the two sides.

Kagwanja said China has prioritized industrialization strategies under the forum.

Industrialization in China and Africa must be tied to the larger vision of building an ecological civilization, he said.

"We must shift our use of energy gradually from fossil-fuel energy to green energy. This will create a new area of employment as we expand green energy to realize our goals of an ecological civilization.

"We are emerging into a new era of cooperation in industrialization and energy which has been imposed on us by COVID-19."

The pandemic has spurred the production of vaccines and personal protective equipment in some African countries, he said.

Beneficial partnership

Peter Maluki, a senior lecturer at the University of Nairobi Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies, said that to address energy shortages holding back manufacturing, Africa should partner with China and benefit from its experience.

Reliable and affordable energy is needed to boost Africa's development, Maluki said.

Mumo Nzau, a security adviser with the Horn Institute of Strategic Studies, said there is a need for strategic foresight to encourage collaboration between Africa and China.

Wang Junren, a researcher at the China National Petroleum Corporation, said that over the past 25 years, China and Africa have deepened cooperation in oil and gas.

Wang said 16 projects are underway in 19 African countries and that China will continue to share its experiences and skills with Africa.

Between 2010 and last year, China was responsible for building nearly 100 projects to add to Africa's power generation capacity, becoming one of the most active energy players on the continent, according to the Africa Policy Institute.