African countries see the shift to clean energy as an easier way to distance themselves from the West, Brian Ouma, a renewable energy expert and entrepreneur, has told RT. His remarks come on the heels of the Africa Energy Forum, which is being held in Kenya.

Speaking at the opening of the conference, Kenyan President William Ruto said his country’s interaction with the energy sector’s potential, policies, investment prospects, and initiatives serves as a prime illustration of the substantial opportunities within the African energy and climate action domain.

Speaking to RT, Ouma said Western nations have historically capitalized on Africa’s natural resources to meddle in the politics of states on the continent, and African nations now see clean energy as a “way for them to detach from the West.”

“We’ve seen it in countries all across Africa—Nigeria, Angola,” he said, adding that Africa has the “backup” resources to invest in long-term green energy.

“We still have the oil that can keep on powering our systems. We still have the uranium but this has to be done in a balance that it won’t bring a conflict,” he noted.

The energy forum, organized by EnergyNet in Nairobi, began on Tuesday and is expected to last until Friday, bringing together African energy decision-makers to form partnerships and identify industry opportunities.