Kenya, Norway, and the United States will co-host the second Africa Clean Cooking Summit in Nairobi on January 27 and 28, 2027. The summit aims to accelerate investment and expand access to clean cooking across the continent. President William Ruto invited participants to Nairobi, urging them to attend with specific measures to advance access to clean cooking. The summit will bring together governments and development partners to translate clean cooking commitments into concrete action.
President Ruto emphasized that clean cooking should be treated as essential energy infrastructure due to its links to public health, economic opportunity, and Africa's green transition. He encouraged participants to come prepared with concrete steps, such as policy approvals, procurement launches, or financing deployments. Ruto highlighted Kenya's US$600 million investment opportunity in institutional clean cooking, targeting schools, healthcare facilities, and correctional services.
The Institutional Clean Cooking Investment Pack was recently launched to identify investment opportunities across schools, healthcare facilities, and correctional services. Achieving universal access to clean cooking will require increased investment through local-currency financing, guarantees, and other financial instruments. Ruto called for stronger climate financing for Africa, emphasizing the need for affordable capital, guarantees, and risk-sharing instruments to unlock investment in renewable energy and green industries.
The summit will provide an opportunity for governments, investors, and development partners to strengthen partnerships and move from commitments to implementation in the clean cooking sector. Ruto also called for reforms to the United Nations and the international financial system, stating that global institutions must reflect the changing world and better serve developing countries. He spoke at the opening of the General Debate of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Ruto co-hosted the Partners for Multilateralism Summit with European Council President António Costa and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. He advocated for reform of the UN Security Council to make it more representative and inclusive, particularly for Africa. The President also called for reforms to the international financial architecture, emphasizing the need for a fairer system that enables developing countries to mobilize more capital for development.
The General Debate of the 81st United Nations General Assembly opened under the theme "Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that delivers for all". Ruto stated that trust will be restored when multilateralism works more fairly and institutions reflect the world they govern. The Africa Clean Cooking Summit will provide a platform for leaders to commit to concrete actions and investments in clean cooking.
The summit's outcomes will be crucial in determining the progress of clean cooking initiatives in Africa. With the continent's growing population and increasing energy demands, access to clean cooking is essential for public health, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. The event will also highlight the need for climate financing and reforms to the international financial system to support Africa's development goals.
Key points
- Kenya, US, and Norway to co-host Africa clean cooking summit in Nairobi in January 2027.
- President Ruto calls for concrete measures to expand clean cooking access.
- Summit aims to translate clean cooking commitments into concrete action.
