Kenya and Senegal have officially become Association Countries of the International Energy Agency (IEA). This decision was approved by the IEA’s Governing Board, allowing the countries to strengthen their roles in the global energy landscape and actively participate in discussions on energy security, access, and climate change mitigation.
With the addition of Kenya and Senegal, the Association Countries of the IEA now comprise a total of 13 members, including the newly joined countries and the existing 11 members. This development signifies a stronger engagement between the IEA and African countries and paves the way for more collaborative efforts in advancing sustainable energy goals.
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Energy security
For Senegal, joining the IEA is seen as a significant step towards achieving energy security, universal access to energy, and industrialization while also minimizing its environmental impact. By collaborating with other IEA member countries, Senegal aims to enhance these areas not only for itself but also for the sub-region.
On the other hand, Kenya plans to leverage its membership in the IEA to enhance cooperation and gain valuable experience in various energy sectors. Specifically, Kenya aims to focus on geothermal development, the deployment of off-grid energy systems to improve electrification, and providing cleaner cooking solutions for consumers. The country believes that by prioritizing clean energy transition, it can contribute to making the world a better place.
It’s worth noting that Kenya and the IEA have been working together prior to this milestone, collaborating on energy data and statistics capacity building, clean energy transition policies, energy efficiency policy implementation, and energy access. Similarly, Senegal and the IEA have signed memoranda of understanding to strengthen cooperation on market reforms in recent years.