The move by the
US reverses its long-standing opposition to fossil fuel.
Speaking at the
high-level Powering Africa Summit in Washington on Friday, US Secretary of
Energy Chris Wright acknowledged that Western countries, including the US, have
previously discouraged African nations from developing their coal resources.
He highlighted
coal’s critical role in global electricity generation and economic growth.
In his remarks
at the summit, Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo said: “… our plea, again to the United States as
Zimbabwe: release your private sector so that they can invest directly into
Zimbabwe, and we have created an environment where they will earn money because
their investment will be guaranteed.”
Minister Moyo
said the country’s abundant coal and coalbed methane can also be effective in
the agriculture industry as well.
“Power
generation could be one aspect. We are an agricultural country, we want our
fertilisers, so (with) any investment in that coalbed methane gas, we could end
up doing our fertilisers, which we are importing right now, and as a country
that believes very strongly in agriculture, that would be a good investment.
“So, coal with
methane gas is abundant in most areas in Zimbabwe, in the north and in the
south of Zimbabwe, like the Chiredzi area,” he said.
Minister Moyo
said Zimbabwe has allowed independent power producers to operate in the
country, whilst companies are free to use thermal power for their operations
and feed the excess into the national grid.
In his remarks,
Mr Wright said for over a century, coal has been the largest source of
electricity worldwide.
“It transformed
our world, extended life expectancy and created opportunities,” Mr Wright said.
“Coal will continue to be the leading energy source for decades to come. That’s
not a policy or a desire — it’s a reality.”
Mr Wright, a
scientist with extensive experience in climate change research, acknowledged
that burning hydrocarbons has contributed to global warming.
However, he
argued that climate change is not among the world’s top five or even top ten
problems, based on economic and scientific data.
He criticised
past energy policies that prioritised climate concerns over economic
development, saying they have harmed both African nations and industrial
economies in the West.
The Trump
administration, he stressed, will take a different approach, one that
prioritises human development over rigid climate policies.
He pledged US
support for African nations in determining their own energy future, including
coal production.
“We want to
partner with Africa in technology, capital investment and energy
infrastructure. You decide what works for your people — we’ll work with you to
make it happen,” he said. Sunday Mail
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