Namibia will host the Global African Hydrogen Summit from September 3 to 5.
The summit aims to promote and attract investment in Namibia's green hydrogen sector and projects globally, as well as market Africa as a green energy hub.
The three-day Global Africa Hydrogen Summit is said to be the first platform of its kind for African governments to unlock opportunities for the continent in green energy by driving critical investments and financing into bankable green energy projects.
"Hosting this summit, our aim is to provide a platform to collaborate and harness the collective expertise and resources of different industries and sectors. This will accelerate the development of clean energy, paving the way for a sustainable future for all. Considering the evolving energy landscape in Africa, we are strategically placed in Africa to make energy sustainable for Africa," said Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo.
The Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) Chief Executive Officer, Nangula Uaandja, added, "What will success look like not only for this event but for Africa? Success will be when Africa has taken up its rightful place as a player that is really bringing up economic development in a green kind of manner, like green industrialization, not only for Africa but really bringing about an economic agenda for the world that is driven from a green point of view. I think that is really a success factor."
Also speaking at the event was Damian Howard, Senior Vice President at Energy DMG Events, who commended that "Africa owns the key to becoming a key player in the global energy system, but Africa cannot do it alone. There are many challenges, including finance, investment, infrastructure, and technology, among others. It requires efforts of partnership and collaboration, and the summit is really building solutions to solve these challenges."
The Green Hydrogen Commissioner, James Mnyupe, explained the value chain involved in Namibia's green hydrogen and how other African countries can benefit from it.
"Imagine our neighbours buying our clean energy and using it to add value or to sustainably extract some of these minerals, and like Zambia, we can take lithium and they can make things like batteries and other by-products, and if they can do that. One of our green hydrogen pilot projects is a green hydrogen train, so you have created this product with clean energy, and now you are transporting them on a train that will use green hydrogen and diesel, and you bring them to our port, and these goods are put on ship and they are transported to ports around the world, so that corridor is called a Green Martine Corridor."
About 2,000 people are expected to participate in the summit, including 700 delegates from 65 countries, 80 experts, 75 global exhibitors, and 50 start-ups.