Africa's need for cautious allocation of Official Development Assistance under the three-party situation warrants thoughtful deliberation on expenditures.

Africa, home to one-fifth of the world's population and the fastest growing continent, is grappling with a pressing need for sustainable energy and climate adaptation. The continent, which is among the least protected from climate change impacts for the past two generations, faces a daunting challenge in securing its future.

Governments across Africa are tasked with securing drought-resistant crop seeds, building protective barriers against coastal flooding, and developing Early Warning Systems (EWS) to forecast dangerous weather and observe weather patterns. However, these critical initiatives come at a high cost that many African countries struggle to afford.

As of last year, only 1% of installed solar PV capacity of energy consumed in Africa was from solar, with much of the rest coming from diesel generation. This reliance on diesel sources increases with social and economic developments, contributing to a sharp increase in extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.

The energy crisis is a global issue, and Africa faces an immediate and absolute priority of providing affordable energy for all. However, international public financial flows for clean energy in developing countries have been declining through to 2021.

In 2020, Official Development Assistance (ODA) reached USD 161.2 billion, with 44 billion going to climate mitigation and adaptation. This marked the first time more ODA was spent on adaptation than mitigation. Yet, ODA to Africa decreased by about 10% from the previous year.

The IPCC projects energy generation in Africa must grow 2.5 times from 2018 levels to 614 GW by 2040. Africa has 60% of the best solar resources globally, ready for conversion to reliable renewable electricity. Harnessing these resources could significantly reduce Africa's reliance on diesel and contribute to a more sustainable energy future.

Germany, one of the largest contributors to ODA, tripled its contribution last year to six billion euros. In 2022, the countries providing the highest ODA to Africa included the United States and Germany. The U.S. emphasis was on health-related aid, while Germany's contributions were significant but less detailed in the sources.

Protecting people from climate change impacts is perceived as equivalent to rebuilding a country, as it spans virtually all sectors. Key risks in Africa include species extinction, ecosystem disruption, loss of food production, increased poverty, water and energy insecurity, and loss of human life.

Hundreds of millions of people in Africa may be at the mercy of foreign food imports when they cannot grow food or raise cattle because of drought. In such situations, Africa's food security hangs in the balance.

The adaptation gap is highest in Africa, making it crucial for ODA to be spent wisely. Official Development Assistance that reaches African politicians must be spent, but they face a dilemma about how to spend it, often having to choose between fostering socio-economic development or climate mitigation.

In 2022, ODA reached USD 204 billion, with Sub-Saharan Africa receiving slightly more than USD 29 billion. Despite the challenges, there is hope that the global impetus to transition to renewable energy has the highest hope in Africa. Raising USD 25 billion per year to pay for modern energy for all Africans is a significant challenge, but it is a challenge that must be met to secure a sustainable future for the continent.

Africa's need for cautious allocation of Official Development Assistance under the three-party situation warrants thoughtful deliberation on expenditures.