Paris Peace Forum: for just transitions

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At the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University in Morocco, the Spring meeting of the Paris Peace Forum brought together global actors. This unprecedented event in Africa highlights the growing importance of the continent in resolving international challenges.

It is on the site of the Mohamed VI Polytechnic University of Benguerir in Morocco that global governance actors gathered for the Spring meeting of the Paris Peace Forum.

A Paris forum in an African country, a first but also a symbol of the common interests between the North and the South, and of the resolutely essential place of Africa in providing solutions to global challenges.

“For us, technologies are not local technologies, the technology is there in a global way. It is the innovations, the adaptation of technology to the reality on the ground that are local. But technology is global ,” explains Hicham El Habti, president of the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University (UM6P).

*“And so the young researchers that you saw yesterday when they are working on a technology for them the horizon is the world, it is not just Morocco or Africa. And that’s the motto of the UM6P, it’s really “Empowering minds” , to develop sovereign technologies already, on the African continent, but to respond to global challenges”*.

The theme of this year's edition is just transitions, as countries face a dilemma: reconciling environmental preservation and reducing the energy divide.

Nisreen Elsaim is the general coordinator of the Youth and Environment Society (YES) platform and former chair of the Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change. For the young environmental activist, it is impossible to talk about transition without addressing the question of equality.

“Only 40% of the African population has access to electricity. Without access to electricity: no access to health, education, industry… So what type of transition are we talking about? » , she protests. “It’s just a question of access.

Our citizens must understand that they have the right to access electricity, energy, quality education, health... and then they will be able to develop themselves and their communities.

Only when we are in a position of equality can we talk about what is right and what is not.”

But how can we finance a just energy transition and attract investors to Africa?

For Amadou Hott, special envoy of the president of the African Development Bank , we will have to join forces.

“We need the public sector, the private sector, philanthropists, everyone to work together. African governments will have to continue to invest in infrastructure for example, especially energy, to provide access, it is a priority. But also the private sector must be able to invest because there is also money to be made.”

Organized in collaboration with the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, the forum concluded with the launch of ATLAS , (Agricultural Transitions Lab for African Solutions), a permanent platform for political dialogue and collaboration between the countries of the North, with on the one hand, and Africa and the countries of the South, on the other hand.

The Paris Peace Forum also brought together high-level experts from the North and South, as well as from various sectors, to found the Global Council for Responsible Transition Minerals, bringing together Kandeh Yumkella, co-chair of the Council and former special representative of the UN Secretary-General for sustainable energy for all , Bruno Oberle, former director of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and Kenewendo Bogolo, former minister of investment, trade and Botswana industry.