By Emmanuel Appah
Dr. Marit Kitaw, an Economic Affairs Officer at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), gas called for closer coordination between industrial policy and energy planning to advance Africa’s economic transformation.
Dr. Kitaw, made the call during the 2026 Future Energy Conference in Accra.
She highlighted that Africa’s industrial and energy strategies should be developed in an integrated manner rather than pursued independently.
“Industrial policy and energy planning will make aspirations if they are developed in separate rooms,” she said.
Moreover, she noted that regional integration was essential to achieving the scale required to attract investment and develop competitive African industries.
She stressed on the need to increase investment to strengthen African industries and contribute to the continent’s broader economic transformation.
Dr. Kitaw also underscored the importance of community participation, emphasizing that communities should be recognized as key stakeholders in Africa’s industrial and energy development.
Source: Emmanuel Appah
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