CAPE TOWN, March 4 (Xinhua) -- South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Wednesday called for greater energy integration across Africa to strengthen the continent's security and diversification as global markets face heightened volatility.

Speaking at the Africa Energy Indaba 2026 in Cape Town, Ramaphosa said escalating geopolitical tensions and supply chain disruptions have increased risks for African economies reliant on external energy supplies.

"Africa is already experiencing the impact of the escalating conflict in the Middle East, with strains on supply chains and higher energy prices," he said, noting that such shifting geopolitical sands "underscore the vulnerabilities of import-dependent economies across Africa."

"These vulnerabilities sharpen the case for regional and continental energy security and diversification," he said. "There has never been a better time for Africa to advance its energy security, resilience and sustainability."

Ramaphosa urged African countries to accelerate the development of an integrated energy system capable of transmitting power across borders and balancing diverse resources, including hydropower, solar, wind and gas. An interconnected grid, he said, would support affordability, reliability and industrial competitiveness.

"The task now is to build a different kind of energy system, one that connects Africa to itself and one that allows our economies to grow together rather than apart," Ramaphosa said.

Despite abundant oil, gas, renewable resources and critical minerals, more than 600 million Africans still lack access to electricity, he noted, describing energy poverty as a brake on industrialization and investment.

"The remaining task is to match this potential with sustained implementation, to translate plans into projects, and to turn projects into reliable power that supports industry, jobs and dignity," he said, calling for a shift "from potential to delivery, from promise to construction."

Ramaphosa highlighted the Ten-Year Africa Energy Infrastructure Investment Plan launched under South Africa's Group of Twenty presidency as a platform to mobilize large-scale, coordinated financing. Public funds alone would be insufficient, he said, but could play a catalytic role in de-risking projects and crowding in private capital.

Held from Tuesday to Thursday at the Cape Town International Convention Center under the theme "Igniting the Power Revolution," the 18th edition of Africa Energy Indaba has drawn more than 1,600 delegates from 37 African countries, including 15 energy ministers, alongside investors, regulators and industry executives seeking to accelerate infrastructure alignment and investment mobilization. ■