Stellenbosch, South Africa, 30 September 2026 (ECA) – African countries and regional institutions must move urgently from policy commitments to coordinated implementation if electric mobility is to strengthen energy security, sustainable transport, industrialization and local value addition, participants said at the Africa E-Mobility Week & Forum 2026 (AEWF2026).
Jointly organized by the African Union Commission, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Africa E-Mobility Alliance, the Forum brought together governments, international organizations, business, finance, academia and civil society under the theme “The African E-Mobility Strategy: From Policy to Action.” Participants noted that, although electric mobility is gaining momentum and continental and regional frameworks are emerging, progress remains too slow to meet Africa’s climate, health and economic needs.
During the opening high-level panel, Yohannes Hailu, Officer-in-Charge of ECA’s Connectivity and Infrastructure Development Section, said the transition will reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, improve air quality and energy security, stimulate innovation and increase local value addition from Africa’s critical minerals. He highlighted four immediate priorities: local manufacturing and regional EV value chains; charging infrastructure and energy readiness; finance and incentives; and skills, awareness, innovation and research.
In the breakout session on electric vehicle standards, ECA transport specialist Placide Badji, Transport specialist in ECA underscored the importance of applying existing United Nations regulations to advance vehicle safety, environmental performance and industrial development across Africa. He highlighted UN Regulation No. 100, which addresses the safety of electric powertrain vehicles, including protection from high-voltage risks and requirements for rechargeable energy storage systems (REESS), as well as provisions for Acoustic Vehicle Alerting Systems (AVAS) to help protect vulnerable road users.
The Joint Declaration calls for local electric vehicle manufacturing and assembly, battery-material processing, affordable finance, charging infrastructure, renewable-energy integration and opportunities for young people and women. It stresses the urgent need to harmonize and implement relevant norms and standards for vehicles, batteries, charging systems, payment compatibility and interoperability, while developing sound rules for used-EV imports and battery reuse, recycling and disposal.
Participants urged the African Union Commission, regional economic communities and member States to accelerate policy alignment and cross-border cooperation, and to use the African Continental Free Trade Area to reduce trade barriers and build competitive regional EV value chains. The Declaration also calls for an Africa-wide electric-mobility database, while Hailu proposed a pan-African electric vehicle observatory to track adoption, charging infrastructure, energy demand, environmental impacts and jobs.
The Forum took place at the outset of the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport 2026–2035, offering a timely framework to connect e-mobility with renewable energy, industrial development, regional integration, innovation and decent jobs. The message from Stellenbosch was clear: Africa must now translate its strategies into coordinated investment, institutions and measurable delivery.
The Africa E-Mobility Week & Forum 2026 was held from 28 to 30 September 2026 in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.
Issued by:
Communications Section
Economic Commission for Africa
PO Box 3001
Addis Ababa
Ethiopia
Tel: +251 11 551 5826
E-mail: eca-info@un.org