Ethiopia’s E-Mobility Strategy Vital in Combating Climate Change Impacts, Says UNECA Director

Addis Ababa, June 5, 2026 —Ethiopia’s e-mobility strategy is a significant step toward addressing the impacts of climate change by reducing carbon dioxide emissions, UNECA Director said.

Speaking to ENA, Robert Lisinge, Director of the Technology, Innovation and Infrastructure Division at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), emphasized Ethiopia’s promotion of electric vehicles and green mobility solutions is accelerating the country’s transition to a sustainable and low carbon economy.

He noted that the shift to electric mobility is helping reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve energy efficiency, and support broader efforts to build a climate-resilient economy.

According to Lisinge, the country’s commitment to expanding the use of electric vehicles demonstrates the country’s determination to pursue environmentally sustainable development while contributing to global climate action.

He further elaborated that the strategy is aligned with international legal and policy frameworks while addressing one of Africa’s major economic challenges, dependence on imported fossil fuels.

“Countries that depend on imported fuel spend a lot of hard foreign currency to import such fuel, and so if you transition fully to electric vehicles, you reduce the dependence on fuel that is imported from other parts of the world,” he said.

Lisinge also emphasized that the shift to electric vehicles offers substantial economic advantages by improving energy security and reducing exposure to fluctuations in global fuel markets.

He also highlighted the environmental benefits of Ethiopia’s transition to electric mobility, noting that the country generates the majority of its electricity from hydropower and as a result, electric vehicles can significantly reduce emissions from the transport sector and contribute to global climate action efforts.

“In a country like Ethiopia that is dependent on hydroelectric power, you are more or less eliminating carbon emissions in the transport sector. EVs are contributing to green development,” he noted.

The director further pointed to Ethiopia’s ambition to manufacture and assemble 30 percent of new electric vehicles domestically by 2030, describing the target as a catalyst for industrial growth, regional trade, and the development of African manufacturing value chains.

According to him, the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area will accelerate the continent’s transition to electric mobility by facilitating trade and strengthening regional value chains.

“By 2030, 30 percent of electric vehicles in Ethiopia will be manufactured here. Most of the raw materials are located on our continent,” Lisinge said.

He further stressed that the continental free trade agreement provides African countries with an opportunity to develop local battery and electric vehicle industries, creating jobs, boosting industrialization, and deepening regional economic integration as demand for electric mobility continues to expand across the continent.