The International Solar Alliance (ISA) is set to host the Seventh Regional Committee Meeting (RCM) for the Africa region in Accra, Ghana, from September 2 to 4. The gathering aims to drive solar investments, build institutional capacity, and accelerate energy access across the continent.
The event will convene representatives from governments, development partners, financial institutions, and innovators to address the continent’s energy challenges. Despite having the world’s highest solar potential, Africa receives less than 2 percent of global clean energy investments, leaving over 600 million people without electricity, the ISA noted in a release.
“This must change. The RCM in Accra marks a shift from ambition to action,” said Ashish Khanna, Director General of ISA.
The meeting will center on ISA’s four strategic pillars: catalytic finance, institutional capacity, technology and policy, and regional partnerships.
Key initiatives to be discussed include the USD 200 million Africa Solar Facility and the USD 25 million Multi-Donor Trust Fund, both aimed at de-risking solar investments. Other priorities include the expansion of STAR-Centres of Excellence to promote skills and innovation, and solar applications in agriculture to enhance food security. Discussions will also cover the use of digital and AI technologies to enable efficient and inclusive solar energy deployment.
Founded as a joint initiative between India and France, the ISA was launched during COP21 in Paris in 2015 to promote global cooperation on solar energy as a solution to climate change. Following a 2020 amendment to its Framework Agreement, all UN member states are now eligible to join.
More than 100 countries have signed the ISA framework, with over 90 having ratified it to become full members. The Alliance aims to mobilize $1 trillion in solar investments by 2030 while working to reduce the cost of technology and finance in the solar sector.
