Kenya’s First Lady, Madam Rachel Ruto, has called for urgent, decisive action to close Africa’s US 4 billion dollar annual financing gap for clean cooking, describing it as the smartest investment we can make in humanity.
While speaking during a high-level side event at the Africa Climate Summit (ACS2) in Addis Ababa, the First Lady warned that nearly one billion people in sub-Saharan Africa still rely on firewood and charcoal, exposing families to toxic smoke that claims over 800,000 lives annually, including 200,000 children under the age of five.
“This is not just about stoves and fuels, it is about dignity, survival, and opportunity. Every day we wait, lives are lost and hopes deferred. By 2030, let Africa be celebrated as the continent that turned smoke-filled kitchens into engines of health, equity, and prosperity.” Mrs Ruto said.
Through her office, more than 4,000 women have already been trained as clean cooking ambassadors, with plans to scale the program to community health promoters across Kenya’s 47 counties and emphasized that when women lead, transformation follows.
Her remarks were echoed by Rachel Kyte, UK Special Envoy on Climate, who stressed the need for both financing and inclusion saying that between now and COP30, they must accelerate progress on clean cooking and need to put more cash in the hands of women who will advocate for clean cooking because a billion women is a powerful market, but women voices are not listened to so that product development leaps forward.
“The UK will continue to support clean cooking and Africa’s green growth.” Kyte noted.
Former Ghanaian Second Lady Samira Bawumia underscored the scale of resources required and said that they need about US 40 billion dollars for sectors that are affected by clean cooking, including health and education and made it categorically clear that it is an investment in Africa’s future and not a cost.
Mozambique’s delegation highlighted progress at the policy level, announcing the approval of a biomass and LPG strategy to expand access to clean fuels and they have also proposed tax waivers for clean cooking fuels.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer FSD Africa, Mark Napier noted that political leadership is as critical as finance.
“For too long, clean cooking has been an afterthought. Today, we are putting it at the forefront. But I can count only seven African Heads of State who truly prioritize clean cooking. We need more political goodwill and commitment.” He said.
The First Lady’s call aligns with continental commitments adopted at the first Africa Climate Summit in 2023, including the AU Nairobi Declaration, which recognized clean cooking as a priority for Africa’s just transition.
