Global North has left us on our own in energy technology debate: Ramokgopa

Electricity minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says as developed nations return to fossil fuels to power their economies, South Africa, the African continent and the Global South should be allowed to determine their energy mix on their own terms.

He told delegates at the 2025 Africa Energy Indaba in Cape Town on Tuesday South Africa remained focused on securing upfront capital investment for energy projects using various technologies from development finance institutions.

“Issues of a geopolitical nature are likely to affect our conversations with regards to how we see renewables. It’s around the US withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement. It’s going to potentially result in losses of R8bn in climate-related financing,” he said.

African can no longer rely on the Global North to plan energy in the interests of the region and other emerging economies, he said. While South Africa respects the US’s decision, it is a wake-up call that emerging economies are on their own.

“We are increasingly becoming aware, if we were not aware previously, that countries pursue sovereign interests. So, everything is subordinate to sovereign interests. The principal occupation of global leaders is around sovereign interests and to the extent they see an opportunity that can advance sovereign interests, they will commit to that.

“The nature of domestic politics will also define and redefine what constitutes sovereign interests. We have seen the US taking a stance. We respect that stance. So we are on our own. That’s a big wake-up call. It calls for African leaders to ensure we co-ordinate our efforts in a manner that appreciates the sort of development we want should be defined by us, be driven by us, and the instruments for financing should be fashioned by ourselves.”

His remarks come after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order scrapping America’s decarbonisation commitments to the Paris Agreement, which was widely seen as a setback for decarbonisation and climate change impact reversal efforts.

Ramokgopa urged leaders of African nations and the Global South to collaborate for development defined by the interests of the Global South. While tapping into the liquidity of the private sector, the economic and social needs of emerging economies should not be compromised.

South Africa and the continent needed to consider all energy sources to drive the next era of regional development so the projected 300-million young Africans of 2050 can access opportunity in a thriving regional economy.

“I am not naive about the political complexities of that conversation, but once we are able to find each other, I think, at the level of heads of state on what is in the best interests of the continent, we are likely to ensure 600-million Africans are electrified and get people into employment, we will be able to realise that demographic dividend.”

Energy demand on the African continent is projected to triple by 2040 and the region will have to achieve universal access by 2063. An estimated 600-million African people have no access to any source of electricity.

He told delegates that baseload will continue to be supported by nuclear and fossil fuels will continue to be the backbone of electricity generation on the continent. No single path can be prescribed to a country in its energy transition.

“We know we are a fossil-fuelled economy, so it would be the height of folly that suddenly we liquidate the contribution of fossil fuels in anchoring the economy.”

South Africa will advocate for adding rather than subtracting an energy technology to the energy mix without pressure from outside parties to capitulate to green energy sources. He said this was compatible with the country’s commitment to transitioning to a low-carbon economy.

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