KEYNOTE ADDRESS BY THE PRESIDENT OF ECOWAS COMMISSION
HIS EXCELLENCY, DR. OMAR ALIEU TOURAY
Delivered by H.E. Ambassador John Azumah,
ECOWAS Resident Representative to Sierra Leone
AT
SIERRA LEONE’s OFFICIAL LAUNCH OF ECOWAS LPG 20/20 INITIATIVE
FREETOWN – SIERRA LEONE, 28 APRIL 2026
- His Excellency Brigadier-General (Rtd) Dr. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, and Chairman of The Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS ;
- Her Excellency Dr. Fatima Maada Bio, First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone;
- Her Excellency Mrs. Rachel Ruto, First Lady of the Republic of Kenya;
- Her Excellency Mrs. Samira Bawumia, former Second Lady of the Republic of Ghana;
- Honorable Minister of Energy of the Republic of Sierra Leone;
- Honorable Ministers and Members of Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone;
- Excellencies, Ambassadors and Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
- Distinguished representatives of development partners and other international organizations;
- Distinguished members of the media Fraternity;
Good morning.
1. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great honour for me to address this audience on this occasion of Sierra Leone’s official launching of ECOWAS LPG 20/20 Initiative which was preceded this morning with the High-Level Policy Dialogue on Clean Cooking, Gender Equality, and Child Protection.
2. I also have the pleasure to convey the warmest felicitations and sincere gratitude of ECOWAS Commission to the Government and people of the Republic of Sierra Leone for their unwavering commitment to inclusive and sustainable development, which is central to the national transformation process and regional integration. We further express the Commission’s sincere gratitude to the First Lady of Sierra Leone for her unwavering dedication to enhancing access to clean cooking solutions throughout the country, and for her commitment to leading the clean cooking agenda, both within Sierra Leone and across the region. Her Excellency, the First Lady, we are confident that your leadership will be a key enabler in enhancing penetration and sustainable adaptation of clean cooking solutions in Sierra Leone.
3. Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, today’s Event marks more than just the official launch of ECOWAS LPG 20/20 Initiative. It denotes the establishment of a regional commitment to transform lives, protect our environment, empower women, and ensure a healthier future for our children. In West Africa, access to clean cooking solutions remains amongst the pressing development challenges of date. Given the current 21% LPG penetration rate, millions of households in our region continue to rely heavily on traditional biomass, such as firewood and charcoal, for cooking.
4. There is empirical evidence that, this situation exposes households, particularly the women and children therein, to significant indoor pollution, with serious repercussions on their respiratory health. In addition, the substantial use of firewood and charcoal accelerates deforestation and contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. There is also empirical evidence that the ongoing reliance on these traditional sources of energy has detrimental effects on the domestic responsibilities of women and girls, often resulting in reduced time available for education, economic empowerment, participation in other productive activities, and access to development opportunities. There is therefore an urgent call for action and strong advocacy to reverse the current trends and provide universal access to safe, efficient and affordable cooking fuels and technologies for our populace, as per the commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 7).
5. For this reason, ECOWAS has identified access to clean energy as a key priority. The adoption of the Regional LPG Strategy in 2018 by ECOWAS Council of Ministers was a key moment in the promotion of LPG as a domestic cooking energy source in the region. The strategic vision is to establish LPG as the preferred household cooking energy fuel in the region, with the objective to achieve a penetration rate of 45% by 2030. At date, ECOWAS has provided support to Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone to establish a dedicated LPG Policy/Strategy which serves as the foundation for national actions. In line with the ECOWAS LPG Strategy, the LPG 20/20 Initiative was developed to provide 20 million LPG cylinders to 20 million households in the region. We are delighted to announce the commencement of the Pilot Phase of the Strategy, which we are undertaking in collaboration with Sierra Leone and The Gambia.
6. ECOWAS warmly welcomes Sierra Leone’s position as a leading driver of this transition. We particularly commend the establishment of the Clean Cooking Delivery Unit (CCDU), which provides effective cross-sectoral implementation mechanism and serve also as Implementing Agency for the LPG20/20 Initiative in Sierra Leone. This institutional innovation fully meets the requirements for the whole-of-government coordination necessary to translate political commitments into concrete results. Sustainable energy access can only succeed when it is embedded in a whole-of-government approach. There is a particular need for strong coordination among the ministries responsible for Energy, Education, Gender, Health, Water Resources, and Finance to achieve broader results.
7. Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, as part of this official launch, the symbolic handover of LPG cylinders and accessories to selected beneficiaries is particularly commendable. It reinforces the principle of inclusive access and ensures that vulnerable groups are fully integrated into the transition. As a measure of inclusive development in action, this orientation effectively reflects that, indeed ‘no one must be left behind in the clean energy transition’.
8. ECOWAS equally applauds the emphasis placed on women’s economic empowerment. This reflects a progressive understanding that women and young girls are not merely beneficiaries of policy reforms, but key actors in designing and driving solutions. The inclusion of women in the LPG and clean cooking value chain, — such as distribution entrepreneurship, maintenance, and productive ends like fish processing — is a powerful pathway toward economic empowerment. This is where energy policy meets economic transformation. By empowering women as leaders, innovators, and entrepreneurs in the clean energy economy, we strengthen resilience at both household and national levels.
9. Excellencies, distinguished ladies and gentlemen, ECOWAS Commission reaffirms its full commitment to continue working closely with Sierra Leone and all Member States to ensure the successful rollout and sustainability of the LPG 20/20 Initiative. Together, we must continue to translate policy commitments into measurable outcomes and tangible impacts for our populace. On this note, I have the singular honour to declare Sierra Leone’s ECOWAS LPG 20/20 Initiative duly launched.
10. Merci Beaucoup
Muito Obrigado
I THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND ATTENTION.
