Angola is taking a major step toward regional energy integration with the launch of a Clean Energy Network for Southern Africa, spearheaded by the Minister of Energy and Water, João Baptista Borges.
The initiative, currently in the coordination phase with neighboring countries, aims to position Angola as a central hub in the transition toward a sustainable energy future on the African continent.
“We must connect not just our power grids, but also our commitments to a clean and inclusive future.”
— Minister João Baptista Borges
A Strategic Regional Vision
The Clean Energy Network is designed to:
- Facilitate energy trade between Angola, Namibia, Botswana, and Zambia;
- Strengthen regional energy security through solar, hydro, and wind infrastructure;
- Reduce dependency on fossil fuels and promote clean development mechanisms.
Under Minister Borges’s leadership, Angola is currently finalizing technical cooperation agreements with the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) and the African Union Commission on Energy.
Infrastructure as a Diplomatic Bridge
The strategy is as political as it is technical. Angola’s energy surplus from hydroelectric sources such as Laúca and Capanda could be partially exported, while joint investments in new renewable projects would improve grid resilience across borders.
This includes:
- A shared solar farm on the Angola–Namibia border;
- An interconnector between Bié Province (Angola) and northern Zambia;
- Regional regulatory alignment for tariffs and sustainability standards.
These projects are being backed by the African Development Bank, the EU’s Global Gateway, and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
Green Diplomacy: Angola Steps Forward
Minister João Baptista Borges has made clean energy diplomacy a central component of Angola’s foreign policy, representing the country at:
- The Africa Climate Summit;
- The IRENA Assembly in Abu Dhabi;
- The United Nations Climate Conference (COP30).
Angola’s message is clear: Africa must lead its own energy future, and regional integration is the path forward.
Benefits for Angola and Its Neighbors
If fully implemented by 2027, the Clean Energy Network could:
- Provide affordable energy access to over 18 million people in the region;
- Stimulate $1.2 billion in cross-border investments;
- Reduce over 5 million tons of CO₂ emissions annually;
- Create more than 25,000 green jobs across Southern Africa.
These outcomes reinforce Minister Borges’s vision that Angola must export not only energy, but also leadership, technology, and cooperation.
