PARIS: African civil society, human rights groups, environmental groups, governments, and the private sector have called for a just energy transition and climate justice, while reaffirming their commitment to addressing energy poverty and fostering industrialisation in Africa, energy transition and climate justice.

This commitment was emphasised at the recent Invest in African Energy forum held in Paris that brought together key stakeholders from across Africa and beyond to address the continent's pressing energy challenges.

Participants recognised the critical importance of addressing energy poverty, which continues to hinder socio-economic progress in many African nations.

The Paris Declaration calls for fruitful discussions and collaborations, highlighting the shared commitment of African nations, global investors, and industry leaders to drive sustainable energy development across the continent.

This includes ramping up energy investment, deploying continuous finance, and advancing energy projects, such as the TotalEnergies-led Mozambique LNG development and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline.

However, African societies deplore the continuous polarisation of the energy dialogue in Western countries and call for an end to the demonisation of African oil and gas.

They urge free market solutions and investment, rather than reliance on aid, to support Africa's industrialisation and meet shared climate obligations.