German Chancellor to visit East Africa, talks to focus on Sudan crisis, clean energy

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz heads Thursday May 4 to Ethiopia and Kenya, where talks will focus on reaffirming strategic alliances in the region, though the Sudan crisis is likely to dominate the talks.

While Germany has been one of the biggest financial supporters of Ethiopia, the Tigray conflict significantly strained Addis Ababa’s relations with Berlin. However, after the rival parties reached a peace agreement in November last year, the signs now point toward warmer relations. In terms of trade, Germany is, for example, the world’s leading importer of Ethiopian coffee, followed by the United States, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and South Korea.

Apart from normalizing trade relations, Germany has another item on its agenda in the Horn of Africa, which is regional and international security, particularly the crisis in Sudan.

Peacekeeping in the region will also be high on the agenda when Chancellor Scholz visits the African Union (AU) headquarters in Addis Ababa.

The meeting with the AU chief will also play a role at Scholz’s last stop in Kenya. The East African nation is considered an anchor of stability in the region and has often distinguished itself as a conflict mediator.

Kenya remains among the top five export markets in sub-Saharan Africa for German companies, with $285 million worth of exports in 2022. Chancellor Scholz will also focus on seeking clean energy partnerships particularly with “trailblazer” Kenya where 90% of power needs are covered by renewables, with plans to fully cover its energy needs with renewables by 2030.

Geothermal power is key in Kenya’s energy mix and offers “excellent conditions” for the production of green hydrogen, which will eventually be imported from the East African country to Europe, as some German analysts hope.