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OPENING ADDRESS BY HER EXCELLENCY DR. SAMIA SULUHU HASSAN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA DURING THE AFRICA HEADS OF STATE ENERGY SUMMIT, DAR ES SALAAM, 28TH JANUARY, 2025 (ENGLISH AND KISWAHILI)
On behalf of the peoples and the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, I have the distinct honour and pleasure to welcome you to Dar es Salaam, and to thank you for honouring our invitation.
We are honoured to host this Africa Heads of State Energy Summit, and we welcome the important deliberations on ensuring access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for all in Africa.
With that being said, this Summit goes beyond energy access. It is about empowering families, lifting millions out of poverty, and providing hope and opportunities for youth. It is about our commitment to economic transformation, fostering industries, creating jobs and sparking innovation across Africa. And, it is about realizing the promise of uplifting every African community, to reach the last mile, and to ensure that no one is left behind.
At present, nearly 600 million Africans who lack energy represent 83% of the global energy deficit. To give a contrast, the electrification rate in Southeast Asia reached 96.6% in 2019, while in Africa today this rate is less than 50%. Additionally, Southeast Asia is on track to reach universal electricity access by 2030, while looking at the current pace of electrification in Africa, without a collective intervention, by 2030 as many as 545 million people will still be without electricity.
Excellencies,
In order to overcome hurdles impeding energy access, we need to take bold actions by increasing investment and financing for infrastructure development, from power generation to last mile connectivity; and, we must have an agreed roadmap among African states, our partners and the private sector, keeping in mind, that we have just five years to meet the SDG’s target of ensuring “access to affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for all”.
This gathering is a platform to consolidate commitments, announce new partnerships, and drive momentum toward the 2030 goal. Together with the private sector, development partners, financial institutions and civil society, we can bridge the energy gap through actionable Energy Compacts. At this Summit we also hope to get endorsement for the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration to guide our efforts. It is for this reason that I salute Presidents Adesina of the African Development Bank and Banga of the World Bank, the Rockefeller Foundation and other partners, for ensuring the successful convening of this important and historic Summit. I also, wish to thank the honourable Ministers responsible for Energy, Finance and Foreign Affairs for diligent preparations.
Excellencies, I am aware that simultaneous interpretation is available in Swahili as well, so allow me to proceed in my local language.
Waheshimiwa Wakuu wa Nchi na Serikali;
Wakuu wa Mashirika ya Kimataifa;
Waheshimiwa Mawaziri;
Wageni waalikwa;
Mabibi na Mabwana;
Tanzania ni moja kati ya nchi 12 zitakazozindua Mpango Mahsusi wa Kitaifa kuhusu Nishati (National Energy Compact). Kupitia Mpango wetu tunatarajia kuongeza kasi ya kuunganisha umeme nchini, hadi kufikia asilimia 75 ifikapo mwaka 2030. Ili kufanikisha azma hiyo ndani ya muda wa miaka mitano ijayo tutahitaji uwekezaji wenye thamani ya dola za Marekani bilioni 13, ambapo dola bilioni 5 zitapatikana kutoka sekta binafsi hapa nchini. Kupitia Mpango huu tumepanga kutekeleza mambo makubwa manne.
La kwanza ni kuongeza uzalishaji wa umeme, kutokana na nishati mchanganyiko, yaani energy mix. Hadi sasa Tanzania ina uwezo wa kuzalisha MW 3,431.20, ambapo 58% ya hizo inatokana na vyanzo vya maji, 35% inatokana na gesi asilia na 7% inatokana na vyanzo vingine. Shabaha yetu ni kuongeza MW 2,463 za nishati kutokana na nishati ya jua, gesi asilia, upepo na jotoardhi na vyanzo vingine, ifikapo 2030.
Jambo la pili, Kijiografia Tanzania ni kiungo muhimu katika kuunganisha Mtandao wa Umeme kwa Nchi za Mashariki na Kusini mwa Afrika, Eastern Africa Power Pool na Southern African Power Pool, na hivyo kuwezesha biashara ya umeme kutoka Afrika Kusini hadi Misri. Tayari tumekwishaunganisha miundombinu ya umeme na nchi za Burundi, Kenya na Rwanda. Kwa sasa tunaendelea kuunganisha miundombinu ya umeme na Zambia na Uganda.
Kuwepo kwa miundombinu hiyo, itawezesha biashara ya nishati kati ya nchi za EAC na SADC, Tanzania inayo nafasi ya kuuza umeme ikizingatiwa kuwa hadi Mwezi Novemba, 2024 mahitaji ya umeme nchini Tanzania yalikuwa MW 1,888.72 wakati uzalishaji wetu ni MW 3,431.20.
Jambo la tatu ni kufikisha umeme kwenye vitongoji. Baada ya kufanikiwa kusambaza umeme katika vijiji vyote 12,318 vya Tanzania, mwelekeo wetu ni kuvifikia vitongoji vyote 64,359. Hadi sasa, tumeshavifikia vitongoji 32,827, na kazi inaendelea katika vitongoji 20,000. Hivyo, kupitia Mpango huu tutaweza kukamilisha vitongoji 11,532 vilivyobakia.
Jambo la nne ambalo Mpango huu utafanya ni kusaidia usambazaji wa nishati safi ya kupikia. Inakadiriwa watu milioni 950 barani Afrika wanakosa nishati safi ya kupikia. Hali hii inaligharimu sana bara letu, na inahusishwa na kuongezeka kwa umaskini, vitishio vya kiafya, uharibifu wa mazingira, kuongezeka kwa uzalishaji wa kaboni, kupotea kwa bioanuwai, na kukosekana kwa usawa wa kijinsia.
Nchini Tanzania utegemezi wa kuni na mkaa kwa ajili ya kupikia ni zaidi ya 90%. Hatuwezi kupuuza madhara na gharama kubwa ya kutumia kuni na mkaa, hasa kwa afya na ustawi wa wanawake na wasichana. Katika kukabiliana na hili, Tanzania tumeweka Mkakati wa Kitaifa wa Nishati Safi ya Kupikia unaolenga kupandisha kiwango cha matumizi ya nishati safi ya kupikia kutoka chini ya 10% hadi 80% ifikapo mwaka 2034. Mpango Mahsusi tunaouzindua leo utatusogeza karibu zaidi kufikia lengo hilo.
Excellencies,
To achieve the ambitious targets outlined in our National Energy Compact which will be presented soon, as African leaders we need to commit our Governments to addressing critical bottlenecks across the energy value chain as outlined in the Compact’s Action Plan. As we welcome the commitments by the AfDB and the World Bank and other financial institutions to scale up financing and technical assistance, for active participation of the Private sector, we commit to create favorable investment environment through policy reforms, transparent procurement, and innovative financing mechanisms.
Your Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our gathering here in Dar es Salam, with Mission 300 as our agenda, sets us on the right track to realize the goal of universal access to energy for all. Together, we can light up Africa, transform Africa’s energy landscape and empower generations.
I thank you all for your kind attention, and I wish you all fruitful deliberations.
Ahsanteni Sana!
