The forum held between 17th and 19th May 2022 brought together over 1000 participants in Kigali while more 1000 attended virtually.

The forum was attended by different dignitaries including President Paul Kagame; United Nations Secretary General, António Guterres, heads of governments, and energy stakeholders, representatives of youth and civil society organizations among others.

As he officiated the opening of the forum, President Kagame highlighted that there needs to be increased financing to developing countries to support climate adaptation.

“By integrating sustainable energy in pandemic recovery plans, we can accelerate the transition to clean power. But the transition must be just and equitable,” he said.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) shows that developed countries account for around 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions which affects developing countries.

President Kagame has said that Africa should not carry the burden alone.

“Africa cannot carry the burden alone, especially given that its emissions did not create the climate emergency. However, Africa will be part of the solution,” he noted.

As the forum was concluded on 19th May 2022, participants raised funds in respective capacities where they committed US$347 million contribution to be injected into different projects aimed at accelerating access to clean energy in developing countries.

Of the funds, US$242 million was provided by Bloomberg Philanthropies, a philanthropic organization based in New York of the United States of America.

The contribution of Bloomberg Philanthropies will be utilized to expand clean energy across ten African countries including Mozambique, Kenya and Nigeria.

Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) also pledged U$50 million, IKEA Foundation pledged US$5.8 million while UK based company dubbed Energy Catalyst contributed EUR 40 million.

At least 800 million of the global population do not have access to electricity, majority of whom being from Africa.

Among others, 2.5 billion people mainly from Africa and Asia do not access clean cooking energy.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the forum, the UN Secretary General, António Guterres stressed the need to design special policies to deliver to the agenda 2030 to achieve universal access to electricity and take action on the climate change crisis.

President Kagame officiated the opening of the forum.