☯️ The Hydrogen Philosophy chapter 9 - EurAfrica becomes the new powerhouse of the world 🌍

🌍 No continent exemplifies the possibility of economic emancipation through hydrogen as much as Africa. It is obvious that Africa can be the greatest beneficiary of the hydrogen revolution due to its geographical location, abundant renewable energy resources, its proximity to Europe, and the many hardworking people who live there. 

🫱🏻🫲🏾 But this presupposes that Africa and Europe become close partners, almost welding themselves into a hydrogen alliance. In hydrogen matters, one should actually speak of a common continent, of EurAfrica. 

🇪🇺 For Europe, establishing a good relationship with Africa will determine whether its own hydrogen ambitions can actually be realised. Europe will only achieve its goals together with Africa. The decarbonisation of energy, industry, heating and transport will not work without Africa❗️

🧐 The big question will be whether Europe is able to learn from its serious historical mistakes. The relationship between Africa and Europe has been very unbalanced in history, a lot of damage has been done on the African side. By developing hydrogen projects in Africa, the relationship between the two continents can be taken to a whole new level. However, this will only succeed if Europeans in particular fundamentally abandon neocolonial behaviour and processes based on it and approach their partners on an equal footing.

‼️ In concrete terms, this means that the development of hydrogen projects in Africa must primarily serve African societies. Exporting hydrogen to Europe must come second. Hydrogen must not be misused as a means of neo-colonial exploitation, but should first cover the basic local needs for energy and water.

🇳🇦 Take Namibia, for example: The country is vast, with very strong winds and deserts with a high solar irradiation. In addition, the country is close to the ocean, which guarantees a reliable water supply. Namibia has never been an industrialised country, but it could now make its own electricity supply completely renewable and use hydrogen as a storage medium thanks to its vast resources. 

🇿🇦 At the same time, Namibia can also supply its direct neighbour South Africa, from which it currently imports a lot of its energy needs. Only subsequently will hydrogen from Namibia reach Europe directly or in the form of its carriers and be sold there as an export commodity. These three steps will enable Namibia to create jobs, and in fact the Namibian government expects its hydrogen sector to lead to an increase of up to 60% in new jobs.

🇨🇳 Africa could also shake off its heavy dependence on China by building a hydrogen economy together with Europe. It is not a healthy dependence. It is true that China has financed many projects in Africa unconditionally, in contrast to Western donors who have always tied their funding to a number of conditions. And this appeared attractive from an African perspective for decades, but today African governments are finding that they are handing over many valuable commodities to the Chinese for little money, which they have partly committed to.

🇿🇼 Zimbabwe is a good example of a turnaround. Shortly before Christmas 2022, the country banned critical raw materials from being taken out of the country untreated. This is a major step in the right direction and an example of a change in perspective. Africa will only find its own path to development if it industrially processes its wealth of raw materials itself and substantially profits from it.

💪🏾 Hydrogen is becoming Africa's pillar on the way to emancipated economies. This also benefits Europe, in the form of promising training partnerships, the supply of technology, and the creation of markets for European products, while Europe will also increasingly import African products.

✅ This joint exchange will lead to a reduction in migratory pressure, Africa's talents will work on EurAfrica's future locally. Only together can they  global powerhouses for clean technologies and circular processes with the help of hydrogen. This requires a major shift in the mindsets of politicians on both sides.

🎯 Golden Rule No. 9: Hydrogen can be a tool for mending colonialist-era wounds and building bridges. 

👉 Europe will have to give up parts of the value chain to its southern neighbour, but this will create jobs in Africa and allow them to create their own domestic market and become important global partners. But Europe will also have to  a real and equal partnership, because otherwise it will not be able to implement its own hydrogen plans. Only then will Africa and Europe become the powerhouse of the global hydrogen economy.