The European Union and the African Union take a major step from strategy to delivery on the African Single Electricity Market and the Continental Power System Master Plan

The European Union, through its Delegation to the African Union, welcomed the successful conclusion of the CEPA Technical Consultation and Validation Workshop, hosted by the African Union Commission and co-convened with AUDA-NEPAD from 3 to 5 June 2026 at the African Union Headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The workshop validated a comprehensive package of strategic studies, technical frameworks and operational tools that will accelerate the implementation of the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM) and the Continental Power System Master Plan (CMP), two flagship initiatives of the African Union's Agenda 2063, and key priorities of the EU-AU partnership.

This consultation marks a defining moment in a decade of EU-AU cooperation on continental energy integration. The years from 2015 to 2025 were dedicated to designing and adopting the strategies; from 2025 onwards, the partnership has entered a transition phase, from continental strategy to regional and national delivery. The Addis Ababa workshop converted shared analysis into a shared mandate for action, reflecting the African Union's "One Grid, One Market, One Vision" ambition for an integrated, investment-ready African energy future.

Delivered under the Africa-EU Green Energy Initiative (AEGEI), a flagship of the EU's Global Gateway Africa-Europe Investment Package, which mobilises up to €150 billion for a strong, inclusive, green and digital Africa, the Continental Energy Programme in Africa (CEPA) is the EU's primary technical-assistance and coordination vehicle behind AfSEM, the CMP and the African Energy Efficiency Strategy. The workshop showcased Team Europe in action, with CEPA working hand in hand with ENGAGE (Germany's "Accelerating the Energy Transition in Africa" programme funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)) and the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP), together with EU Member States and European development finance institutions.

EU

From plans to bankable deliverables

Over three days, participants reviewed, discussed and validated a set of strategic outputs developed under CEPA, including various guidelines, reports and pre-feasibility studies.

Participants also reviewed progress on the establishment of the AfSEM High-Level Technical Oversight Committee (HTOC) and the implementation of decisions adopted by the 5th Specialized Technical Committee on Transport, Transcontinental and Interregional Infrastructure and Energy (STC-TTIIE), identifying the priority actions required to strengthen regulatory harmonisation, institutional readiness and regional market development.

"This workshop marks a defining step in our partnership with the African Union. With the African Union Commission and AUDA-NEPAD, we are moving from continental strategy to continental delivery. Through the Global Gateway and Team Europe, the European Union is proud to stand with our African partners in building an electricity market that is integrated, climate-resilient and ready for investment - for one grid, one market, one vision."

- Gianluca Azzoni, Head of Policy and Cooperation, Delegation of the European Union to the African Union

Why this matters

Across the continent, over 600 million people still lack access to electricity, while demand is expected to triple by 2040. Africa's generation capacity is projected to grow from 266 GW today to over 1,218 GW by 2040, with renewables rising from around a quarter to nearly two-thirds of the mix. Closing the investment gap will require an estimated USD 1.3 trillion, some of it also directed to the cross-border transmission and market infrastructure planned under the CMP.

By validating the technical, regulatory and planning foundations on which that investment will rest, the Addis Ababa workshop helps move Africa's energy transition from plan to action, enhancing energy access, security and resilience; supporting cross-border trade; and accelerating the renewable build-out at continental scale. The European Union, together with its African Union partners, will continue to support implementation through CEPA, ENGAGE, the AEEP and the wider Team Europe, converging on the shared ambition of one integrated, investment-ready African electricity market under Agenda 2063, and contributing to the global pledges to triple renewable capacity and double energy efficiency by 2030.