Inaugural South African–German Hydrogen Task Force meeting

The inaugural meeting of the South African-German Hydrogen Task Force, co-chaired by Masopha Moshoeshoe, Green Hydrogen Lead from the South African Presidency, and Dr Jürgen Friedrich, Special Envoy for Green Hydrogen from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK), was held at the Marriott Crystal Tower in Cape Town on 17 October 2023.

Representatives from South Africa expressed interest in fostering a closer relationship with Germany, as increased collaboration would support initiatives geared towards unlocking the potential of the green hydrogen sector in South Africa. They emphasised the positive impact that collaborations have on investor confidence and on private sector involvement in the South African market. The German contingent echoed their sentiments, expressing optimism that the Task Force could leverage the sector's potential, and achieve tangible progress.

Highlights of the meeting included: a restatement of the Joint Declaration of Intent by Henrik Hartmann, Head of Secretariat for the South African-German Energy Partnership; a presentation on the South African Green Hydrogen Commercialisation Strategy by Mahandra Rooplall, Industry Strategist at the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC); and an overview of the German National Hydrogen Strategy by Tarik El-Laboudy, Policy Officer at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

Both sides actively participated and commented on the presentations. The meeting was significant in facilitating a substantive exchange among key government stakeholders from both nations, emphasising similarities in their hydrogen strategies and establishing agreements for future cooperation.