Eastern Africa Unites for Clean Cooking Future at Arusha Energy Symposium

Over 80% of households in Eastern Africa still depend on traditional biomass fuels—wood, charcoal, and crop residues—for cooking.

The Eastern Africa Regional Clean Cooking Energy Symposium, a landmark event aimed at transforming the clean cooking landscape across Eastern Africa, was inaugurated in Arusha, Tanzania, under the theme “Linking finance, innovation, technology adoption, access, and policy.” Spearheaded by the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) in partnership with the Government of Tanzania and the European Union, the three-day symposium marks a decisive step toward addressing the region’s heavy reliance on traditional cooking fuels.

Held in early May, the symposium attracted more than 200 influential participants, including senior government officials from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, and Rwanda, as well as representatives from civil society organizations, financial institutions, researchers, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and international development partners. These stakeholders convened with a unified goal: to scale up clean cooking initiatives that can improve public health, protect the environment, and contribute to climate resilience across the region.

Urgent Need for Change in East Africa’s Cooking Practices

Over 80% of households in Eastern Africa still depend on traditional biomass fuels—wood, charcoal, and crop residues—for cooking. These fuels are major contributors to indoor air pollution, responsible for respiratory illnesses, particularly among women and children. Furthermore, the reliance on biomass exacerbates deforestation and contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions.

Tanzania has taken a bold lead through its National Clean Cooking Strategy (2024–2034), which aims to ensure that 80% of Tanzanian households adopt clean cooking solutions by 2034. This ambitious policy framework focuses on access to modern energy technologies, reduction of biomass dependency, and integration of clean cooking within broader development agendas.

Leadership and Commitment: Tanzania’s Pivotal Role

In a keynote address delivered on behalf of Hon. Dr. Dotto Mashaka Biteko, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy, Eng. Innocent Luoga, Commissioner of Electricity and Renewable Energy, reinforced Tanzania’s commitment to clean cooking. He emphasized that clean cooking is a top national priority for President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has emerged as a continental advocate for energy reform.

Her Excellency’s leadership has been most visible through the African Women Clean Cooking Support Program, a platform designed to empower women while promoting sustainable energy solutions. Luoga praised the symposium as a space to catalyze regional cooperation, policy innovation, and private sector participation.

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Driving Change Through Finance, Innovation, and Partnerships

Mr. Peter Malika, UNCDF Chief Technical Advisor, spotlighted the symposium’s role in fostering knowledge exchange and enabling regional collaboration. He noted that clean cooking is not only an environmental or public health issue, but a significant economic opportunity—especially when catalyzed through blended finance mechanisms, public-private partnerships, and innovation ecosystems.

A central component of these efforts is the CookFund, an initiative co-developed by UNCDF, the Government of Tanzania, and the European Union. This catalytic fund supports businesses in the clean cooking sector through grants and technical assistance, thereby expanding market access and helping make clean technologies more affordable and scalable.

One of the CookFund beneficiaries, SESCOM, has demonstrated measurable success. According to Albina Minja, SESCOM’s Operational Manager, the company’s research in 2018 revealed that electric cooking was the most cost-effective method in Tanzania. In response, SESCOM has been working to raise awareness and improve the availability of reliable, efficient cooking appliances across the country. “The CookFund has been instrumental to our growth,” she noted. “It has not only helped us scale operations but has also benefited the communities we serve.”

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Regional Solidarity and Future Outlook

Throughout the symposium, participants engaged in thematic sessions covering:

• Innovative financing and investment models for clean energy

• Development of certification and quality assurance frameworks

• Carbon credit potential and monetization pathways

• Regional policy alignment and strategy implementation

• Sharing of scalable clean cooking technologies and entrepreneurial models

The gathering fostered a spirit of shared responsibility and regional solidarity. Discussions frequently returned to the role of women and marginalized communities in the clean cooking revolution, recognizing them as both vulnerable populations and vital agents of change.

A New Chapter in Eastern Africa’s Energy Story

As the symposium concluded, a strong consensus emerged: advancing clean cooking is not just an environmental or economic imperative—it is a moral one. The partnerships and ideas forged in Arusha have set the stage for sustained regional collaboration, helping chart a cleaner, healthier, and more equitable energy future.

The ripple effects of this symposium are expected to spread far beyond Tanzania, influencing energy policies and practices across East Africa in the years to come. By aligning policy frameworks with private sector investment and community empowerment, the region is poised to make clean cooking the new norm rather than the exception.