Opening Address by the Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, 3rd Energy Transition Working Group (ETWG) Meeting, Sun City Resort, North West Province
Premier of the North West Province, Hon. Mokgosi
Deputy Minister of Electricity and Energy, Ms Samanth Graham-Maré
Honourable MECs, Executive Mayors
Distinguished delegates representing the members of the G20
Esteemed guests
Delegates
It is a profound honour and privilege to address you today at the third Energy Transitions Working Group meeting under South Africa’s historic G20 Presidency. We gather here at Sun City Resort, in the heart of the North West Province, not only as representatives of our respective nations, but as partners in shaping a shared global energy future.
The transition to a low-carbon economy is one of the greatest challenges of our time. It is also one of the most significant opportunities. It demands more than technological innovation. It requires solidarity, justice, and cooperation. It is our collective responsibility to pursue a transition that is just, sustainable, inclusive and equitable. A transition that ensures energy security, guarantees reliable and affordable access, and supports environmental and socio-economic sustainability.
South Africa is fully committed to this vision.
We believe that by prioritising energy security, advancing just and inclusive transition pathways, and strengthening regional interconnection and global solidarity, we can chart a path towards a fairer and more prosperous global energy system.
As we meet in this province, rich in history and heritage, we are reminded of our common humanity. Less than 50 kilometres from here lies the Cradle of Humankind, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a global centre of palaeoanthropology. It is a place that reminds us how far we have come, and how far we still need to go. That reminder is also relevant for this Working Group, as we reflect on the evolution of energy systems and the next chapter of global development.
Africa holds immense potential. Our continent is home to abundant energy resources, a young and increasingly urban population, and a growing demand for clean and reliable energy. Yet, we continue to face structural constraints. One of the most critical is access to affordable and patient capital for infrastructure investment.
As we deliberate on the future of energy, we must remember that the story of Africa is not one of deficit. It is a story of resilience and ambition. We must close the gaps that hold us back from achieving full energy access and economic development.
We call on the G20 to give full and practical effect to Sustainable Development Goal 7: ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
This requires:
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Mobilising adequate and appropriate climate and development finance
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Modernising grid infrastructure at scale
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Supporting public-private partnerships to accelerate implementation
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Enabling context-specific, country-led energy transition pathways that consider national priorities and the global imperative to address climate change
Each country must retain the right to determine its pathway, based on national priorities, institutional capacity, and existing energy systems. There is no single model. No uniform pace. No imposed prescription.
Energy sovereignty is not negotiable.
Africa’s aspirations, as articulated in Agenda 2063 and the Africa Energy Efficiency Strategy, must be supported. Not only through declarations, but through practical interventions, investments, and partnerships that build resilience and shift outcomes. We must also be candid. The lack of universal access to modern energy services remains a global failure.
Over 760 million people still live without electricity. More than 2.6 billion rely on unsafe fuels for cooking. These figures represent people. They are mothers, children, workers, students. They are full of potential, held back by structural energy poverty.
We commend previous G20 Presidencies for elevating clean cooking as a priority. Today, we call on this Working Group to develop that agenda further and stand with us in accelerating access to clean cooking solutions at scale.
We also recognise the essential role of renewable energy technologies in decarbonising power systems. Solar, wind, battery storage, and electric mobility are central to reducing emissions, diversifying energy supply, and expanding access. These technologies are rapidly becoming cost-competitive, and their deployment must continue at scale. However, we must remain clear-eyed about the technical and economic realities of transitioning complex energy systems.
Renewables alone cannot meet all system requirements, especially in regions with variable resources, legacy baseload infrastructure, or limited grid flexibility. The energy transition must be planned and managed with reliability, system adequacy, and affordability in mind. This means adopting a pragmatic, technology-inclusive approach that supports both decarbonisation and development objectives.
In addition to renewables, the following technologies must be part of the solution:
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Carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS), to reduce emissions from hard-to-abate sectors and existing fossil assets
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Small modular reactors (SMRs), as a dispatchable, low-emission baseload option suitable for diverse geographies
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Carbon removal and long-duration storage technologies, to offset residual emissions and enhance system resilience
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Demand-side and system flexibility tools, including digital technologies, to balance load and optimise system operations
A technology-inclusive approach ensures that countries can select solutions aligned with their energy mix, infrastructure readiness, and industrial strategy. It also expands investment options, supports innovation, and avoids prematurely locking out viable low-carbon technologies. The transition must be both ambitious and anchored in the realities of implementation.
These solutions are essential for hard-to-abate sectors and for economies that need flexible pathways. They will help us navigate uncertainty and avoid excluding countries with legacy systems or resource-based energy economies.
We urge all G20 members to increase cooperation on technology development, expand knowledge exchange, and support capacity building in areas such as safe carbon storage and CCUS deployment.
No transition will be sustainable without a fundamental reconfiguration of the global energy finance architecture. Scaling up climate and energy finance is not only urgent, but also central to closing the infrastructure gap, addressing energy poverty, and driving structural transformation and industrialisation.
We must shift from pledges to execution, from fragmented flows to coordinated and catalytic investment. This requires:
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Addressing the systemic underinvestment in transmission, distribution, and flexible generation capacity
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Structuring finance to support long-term affordability, particularly for vulnerable and energy-poor communities
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Establishing de-risking mechanisms that attract private capital while preserving public oversight
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Expanding access to concessional and blended finance for early-stage and localised energy projects
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Prioritising small and medium enterprises as delivery agents in the energy value chain
Finance must become a tool of inclusion, not a barrier to participation. The credibility of the global transition rests on whether finance reaches where it is needed most, at the scale required, and with the speed demanded by development and climate imperatives.
The social dimension of the energy transition must remain central. Energy transitions must not deepen inequality. They must reduce it. No community, no worker, no country should be left behind.
As we prepare for the ETWG Ministerial, let us focus on building consensus, driving tangible outcomes, and ensuring policy coherence. The G20 has the political, technical, and financial weight to shape the global energy landscape in meaningful ways.
Let us use that weight with purpose. Let us align our decisions with development, equity, and climate ambition.
I thank you.
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