By: ENCA

The Global Citizen Now summit, the world's largest movement dedicated to ending extreme poverty, is coming to Johannesburg in a first for the African continent. The event will convene at the Sandton Convention Centre, bringing together world leaders, private investors, and activists shortly before South Africa hosts the G20 summit for the first time. This high-level gathering aims to translate dialogue into concrete action for development.

The summit will feature prominent voices including President Cyril Ramaphosa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. The central focus of the discussions will be on unlocking Africa's clean-energy potential and addressing the critical issue of energy access for the over 600 million people across the continent who currently live without electricity.

Hugh Evans, the Co-Founder and CEO of Global Citizen, has explicitly stated that the event is designed to deliver tangible results rather than just dialogue. He emphasized the goal is for attendees to leave with "concrete outcomes," having asked leaders to arrive with specific, time-bound commitments aimed at scaling up renewable energy infrastructure and investment.

A key, measurable target has been set to provide 10 million households with access to clean energy by the year 2030. To achieve this, the summit will focus on creating the conditions necessary to unlock private sector investment. This involves encouraging governments to provide the policy support and frameworks that de-risk and incentivize large-scale investment in renewable energy projects.

Global Citizen Ambassador Nomzamo Mbatha highlighted the critical importance of making these high-level discussions relevant to ordinary citizens. She urged South Africans to engage with the policies and commitments being made, stressing that these decisions have a direct impact on everyday life, even if they seem distant.

Mbatha further articulated a responsibility for those with access to these influential spaces to act as bridges to the broader public. She emphasized the role of young leaders and ambassadors in translating complex policy language into understandable messages and ensuring that the outcomes of the summit reach and benefit the everyday person.

The timing of the summit, just before the G20 meeting, positions it as a crucial platform to set the agenda and mobilize ambition for Africa's energy future. By focusing on actionable commitments and bridging the gap between leaders and citizens, the event seeks to catalyze real progress toward a clean-energy transition that is both inclusive and transformative for the continent.