Energy security is a challenge for all energy-importing countries, and these are the vast majority of nations: 160 nations importing energy depend on the 40 energy-exporting nations. Energy usually means fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum and gas, and these markets are heavily distorted by state-owned monopolies and a lack of competition. For most governments, meeting the energy security challenge usually means securing a reliable stream of fossil fuel imports at low prices.
The increasing difficulties that such strategies have been encountering have prompted a variety of global, regional and bilateral energy partnerships. However, it is questionable whether they can meet their objectives without addressing the structural deficiencies of the national energy policies of the governments involved in these partnerships. The article unravels this dilemma, taking the EU-Africa Energy Partnership as an example.

Jürgen Maier
Director - Forum Umwelt & Entwicklung / Forum on Environment and Development- Berlin, Germany
chef@forumue.de