BELGIUM has expressed its support for the clean cooking energy campaign, ready to collaborate with Tanzania in its Africa-wide propagation, the government has stated.

Deputy Prime Minister and Energy minister Dr Doto Biteko reached this accord with Belgian Energy minister Tinne van der Straeten at a continental conference to discuss the use of hydrogen in electricity generation, held in the Namibian capital of Windhoek.

The use of hydrogen parallels exploration of other clean energy sources including natural gas, especially as President Samia Suluhu Hassan champions the use of natural gas to replace charcoal burning and firewood.

The conference is discussing energy alternatives for the development of the entire African continent, with a plethora of issues to be addressed, as to the focus of domestic energy and industrial energy generation, officials said.

While a number of African countries including Tanzania have natural gas deposits, hydrogen is extensively available but needs huge investments involving extraction and processing of orate metals, they said.

The deputy premier stated that Tanzania prioritizes the use of energy enabling sustainable development, seeking to curb diseases and potential deaths related to the use of unclean energy.

Long-standing cooperation between Tanzania and Belgium would facilitate energy sector development through strategic investments, he said, underlining the vital use of the campaign to ensure that 80 per cent of households use clean cooking energy within the next 10 years.

Tanzania would appreciate Belgium's support in the use of clean cooking energy, as it has done in other sectors, including education and gender equality empowerment efforts, he said.

The Belgian minister stated that her country is ready to support efforts to shift from charcoal and firewood as part of an international effort at environmental conservation.

The use of various clean energy sources will stimulate the development of people and the various economies, empowering citizens to increase income and uplift economic activities.

The ongoing hydrogen conference is intended to highlight opportunities and challenges in the use of this energy, where Tanzania will have an opportunity to hear the continental potential of hydrogen use for electricity generation.

The conference being attended by senior ministers and top officials from African countries holds its final session today.