…Says energy revolution must create jobs, not just profits
By Victor Ahiuma-Young
Nairobi : Organised Labour through the International Trade Union Confederation, ITUC-Africa has warned that Africa risks replacing one form of colonial exploitation with another unless it takes control of its energy transition.
According ITUC-Africa, the continent’s vast renewable energy resources and critical minerals must drive industrialisation, job creation and economic transformation instead of enriching foreign interests.
Speaking at the New Energy for Africa 11 Convening:? African Workers’ Contributions to Energy Sovereignty, Green Industrialization, and a Common African for COP31, in Nairobi, Kenya, ITUC-Africa Deputy President Rose Omamo urged African governments, climate negotiators and development partners to ensure that the shift to clean energy delivers decent jobs, strengthens public energy systems and gives African countries greater control over their natural resources.
Omamo said the continent should approach the global green transition with a united position ahead of the COP31 climate summit, warning that expanding electricity access alone would not solve Africa’s development challenges unless investments also created industries, added value to local minerals and improved the livelihoods of ordinary citizens.
According to her, “We welcome efforts to address the energy crisis on our continent. More than 600 million Africans still live without electricity, and this situation cannot be allowed to continue.
“However, expanding electricity access is not enough on its own. We must ask who will own the new energy infrastructure, who will finance it and who will benefit from it. We must ask whether these investments will strengthen public energy systems, support African industries and create decent jobs.
“Africa’s success cannot be measured only by the number of new electricity connections or the amount of energy generated. It must also be measured by the jobs created, the industries developed, the communities connected and the improvements made in the lives of ordinary people.
Turning to the growing international demand for Africa’s critical minerals, Omamo warned against repeating the continent’s historical pattern of exporting raw materials while importing expensive finished products.
She said: “There is also growing global competition for Africa’s critical minerals, including cobalt, lithium, copper, graphite and rare earths. These resources are important for renewable energy technologies, electric vehicles and battery storage.
“Africa must not repeat the experience of exporting raw materials and later importing expensive finished products. Our minerals must support local processing, manufacturing, skills development and decent employment. They must contribute to peace and development instead of exploitation, displacement, conflict and violations of workers’ rights.”
Omamo said workers must play a central role in shaping Africa’s transition to clean energy instead of being consulted only after major investment decisions had already been made.
“For ITUC-Africa, workers must be at the centre of the energy transition. They cannot be treated as observers or invited only after policies and investment decisions have been finalised.”
She noted that “the transition must protect workers while creating opportunities for young people, women and those in the informal economy.
“A just transition is ultimately about people. It is about workers having secure jobs, fair wages, social protection and a voice in decisions that affect their lives. It is about ensuring that communities dependent on existing industries are supported through change. It is also about creating new opportunities without weakening labour rights or increasing insecure work.”
Calling for stronger engagement with governments, the African Union and climate negotiators, Omamo urged delegates to develop a common African trade union position ahead of COP31 in Antalya, Turkey.
“Our task is to ensure that Africa’s energy transition does not reproduce the inequalities of the past under a green name.
“It must help Africa develop its own industries. It must create decent jobs. It must improve access to affordable energy. It must protect workers and communities. It must strengthen public services. It must give African countries greater control over their resources and their development choices”, ITUC-Africa Deputy President, noted.
She added by urging “African leaders to seize the opportunity presented by the global energy transition. The energy transition is already happening. The important question is whether Africa will simply provide raw materials for the transition of other regions, or whether we will use this opportunity to transform our own economies and improve the lives of our people.”
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