Oil & Gas

Tanzania is positioning itself at the forefront of Africa’s climate diplomacy, placing clean cooking energy at the centre of its national development and climate mitigation agenda. During the recent African Group of Negotiators (AGN) meeting on climate change in Dar es Salaam, Dr Richard Muyungi, AGN Chair, reaffirmed the country’s ambition to ensure 80% of Tanzanians access clean cooking energy by 2030. This builds on President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s global recognition as a champion of clean cooking initiatives, a role formally acknowledged at COP28 in Dubai.

One of the key outcomes of the AGN meeting was the decision to institutionalise the group within the African Union Commission (AUC), with Tanzania chairing the subcommittee tasked to finalise the process before year-end. This move will give Africa a stronger, more coordinated voice in global climate negotiations, particularly ahead of COP30 in Brazil. Anchoring the AGN within the AUC also ensures continuity and technical capacity, which have long been challenges for the group since its establishment in 1995.

Domestically, Tanzania has launched a National Clean Cooking Energy Strategy, aiming to shift households from charcoal and firewood to cleaner alternatives like LPG. Complemented by a Clean Cooking Communications Strategy, the government is engaging through radio, religious leaders, and community platforms to normalise clean cooking as a necessity rather than a luxury. The strategy, estimated to cost USD 1.8 billion over 10 years, is already gaining traction with support from international partners.

At the continental level, Tanzania is turning clean cooking into a unifying pillar of Africa’s climate diplomacy. The initiative links health, gender, environmental protection, and economic empowerment, making it a practical entry point for a just energy transition. As the continent prepares for COP30, Tanzania’s leadership signals a shift from reactive participation to proactive agenda-setting, shaping Africa’s climate future through clean cooking solutions.