Africa has Always been Able to Host Large-Scale Energy Events, and African Energy Week (AEW) Proved it

Africa has Always been Able to Host Large-Scale Energy Events, and African Energy Week (AEW) Proved it

In 2021, Africa Oil Week (AOW) made the decision to take its conference to Dubai, citing the fact that Africa was not equipped to host a large-scale conference in a safe manner due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to take the conference out of Africa, despite representing a platform centered on African energy, resulted in the discussions about Africa being taken out of continent and led by international stakeholders. AOW claims that the event is focused on supporting Africa’s needs, and yet the decision to leave Cape Town for Dubai contradicted this very ambition.

Then, in 2022, AOW made the decision to return to Africa, claiming a commitment to driving investment in African energy. Yet, when Africa most needed investment, the conference organizer was quick to take it to Dubai.

What African Energy Week sought to prove and was successful in doing so, is that Africa always has been capable of hosting large-scale events. Under strict COVID-19 safety measures, the event proudly hosted delegations from both the African and global energy sector, with billions in investment secured from the first edition of the conference alone. In 2022, the conference attracted thousands of delegates, with a series of industry-focused deals signed by