Ivory Coast's economic capital will host the third conference of the International Network for Energy Transition in Africa (INAET) on June 11 and 12, 2026. The objective is to design a just, sustainable, and inclusive energy transition, while boosting investment on the continent.

A synergy of actors for multiple challenges

Initiated jointly by the ENI Group, Luiss University, and the World Bank, this event brings together global leaders in the sector. Adopting a technology-neutral approach, the conference explores the essential synergies between energy, economic development, and industrial growth.

Several key themes are on the agenda for the discussions:

1. Universal access to electricity and clean cooking solutions.
2. Sustainable agriculture and biofuels.
3. Carbon markets.

Key takeaway: The event was marked by the official launch of the "African Bioenergy Network" , an alliance between Eni and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) aimed at accelerating the deployment of sustainable biofuels.

From local realities to concrete commitments

For organizers and participants, the success of this transition depends on pragmatism and cooperation.

1. Lapo Pistelli (Director of Public Affairs at Eni): He welcomed the fact that INAET has established itself in three years as a leading international platform for catalyzing strategic partnerships and investments in Africa.
2. Traoré Yagouba (African Energy Commission - AFREC): He noted that the African energy transition is a "mosaic of national realities." According to him, INAET precisely enables politicians, investors, and academics to connect in order to transform discussions into local actions based on concrete data.

Reconciling transition, industrialization and food sovereignty

Representing the Ivorian Minister of Mines, Petroleum and Energy, the Director General of Hydrocarbons, Essé Kouamé Bienvenu , emphasized the need for a realistic transition. This transition must reconcile the development of renewable energies with the utilization of existing natural resources, such as gas, in order to support industrialization, employment, and universal access to energy.

Finally, the agricultural question took center stage in the debates thanks to Bernard Kini Comoé , Minister Delegate for Food Production. Speaking on the theme of "Energy Transition and Food Sovereignty," he demonstrated the inseparable link between energy and agriculture, advocating for an integrated approach capable of simultaneously guaranteeing energy security and food self-sufficiency for the African continent.