The 2025 edition of the Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Global Forum explored ways to drive a just and equitable energy transition that supports climate action while fighting energy poverty and offers development opportunities for low-income countries (LICs), middle-income countries (MICs), and small island developing States (SIDS). Commitments announced at the Forum for scaling energy access and driving the clean energy transition exceed USD 900 million.
The Forum also welcomed new initiatives by global partners that aim to accelerate clean energy investments and promote sustainable development worldwide.
Held for the first time in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), the sixth SEforALL Global Forum took place in Bridgetown, Barbados, from 12-13 March 2025, bringing together representatives from government, business and finance, youth, and civil society from around the world. The Forum focused on the theme, ‘Sustainable Energy for Equity, Security and Prosperity,’ and served as “a key milestone moment” on the road to the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 30) in November.
The Forum sought to: convene global stakeholders to elevate energy, climate, and development dialogue; foster collaboration across diverse regions and entities; advance reform of the global financial system; inspire innovation in the energy sector; and advocate for commitments to support the energy transition in the Global South. Discussions took place around six critical tracks of leaving no one behind, empowering the future, financing the transition, reigniting cooperation, driving ambition, and leveraging innovation.
Addressing the Forum, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed underscored SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) as “critical to achieving our climate and development goals.” Emphasizing the urgency for bold, collective action, she invited participants to turn the guiding principles of collaboration, creativity, and coherence into “decisive, actionable outcomes.”
Major commitments announced during the Forum include:
The Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), SEforALL, the International Solar Alliance (ISA), and Africa50 unveiled a USD 500 million Distributed Renewable Energy (DRE) Fund to develop and finance mini-grids, solar home systems, commercial and industrial power solutions, and innovative energy storage technologies in Nigeria.
The EU, with the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) and SEforALL, committed USD 20 million in results-based financing through the Universal Energy Facility (UEF) to deploy mini-grids and electrify rural households in Sierra Leone.
The IKEA Foundation pledged over EUR 11 million to ZE-Gen – an initiative replacing fossil fuel generators with renewable alternatives across sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and the Indo-Pacific region.
The Middle East Green Initiative’s ‘Forward7 Clean Cooking’ programme, in partnership with the Global electric Cooking Coalition (GeCCo), Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS), and UK Aid, announced USD 3.5 million to USD 5 million in funding to accelerate clean cooking adoption in Sierra Leone.
Among the national and regional energy initiatives unveiled at the Forum are:
Barbados Energy Transition and Investment Plan (ETIP), which aims to achieve net zero by 2035;
Pakistan ETIP;
Commitment by the global motorsport series Formula E to join Energy Compacts;
Glasgow Financial Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ) Caribbean Chapter;
Partnership to promote a just and equitable energy transition in LAC; and
Africa renewable energy manufacturing financiers’ collective – a new platform to connect financiers with manufacturers, supporting green finance and local renewable energy production in Africa and Southeast Asia.
Through the Energy Heroes Awards, the Forum also recognized changemakers and innovators.
On the sidelines of the Forum, on 12 March, ministers from Africa, Asia, LAC, and the Pacific released a global communiqué, aiming to accelerate a just and inclusive energy transition while leveraging multilateral and bilateral development finance to advance actions that are aligned with national developmental goals and shared global commitments, such as under the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Also on 12 March, SIDS ministers launched a call to action to: strengthen energy transition and climate commitments; mobilize transformative climate finance at scale; enhance and strengthen existing international and regional platforms for accelerating implementation; augment institutional capacity and expertise; and enhance resilience, adaptation, and innovation.
The 2025 SEforALL Global Forum was co-hosted by Sustainable Energy for All and the Government of Barbados. [SEforALL News Release on Forum Outcomes] [Forum Highlights] [SEforALL News Release on Ministerial Meetings]