Energy Security and Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract

Over the last decade the topic of energy security has reappeared on globalpolicy agendas. Most analyses of international energy geopolitics examinethe interests and behaviour of powerful energy-importing countries like theUS and China. This chapter begins by examining foreign powers' expandedexploitation of oil and uranium resources in Sub-Saharan Africa. It goeson to examine how energy importers' efforts to enhance their energysecurity through Africa are impacting energy security within Africa. Itassesses Sub-Saharan states' attempts to increase consumption of local oiland uranium reserves. Observing the constraints on these efforts, it thenoutlines some alternative strategies that have been employed to enhanceAfrican energy security. It concludes that, while local community-baseddevelopment projects have improved the well-being of many households,they are not a sufficient guarantor of energy security. Inadequate petroleumaccess, in particular, remains a development challenge. Foreign powers–efforts to increase their oil security are undermining the energy security ofSub-Saharan African citizens.