African Development Bank gathers partners to support flagship Desert to Power initiative to illuminate the Sahel | African Development Bank

An African initiative to increase solar power generation capacity to give 250 million people access to electricity in Africa’s Sahel region for socio-economic development continues to receive funding from around the world.

Launched in 2019 by the African Development Bank Group and its partners, the Desert to Power initiative aims to turn Africa into a renewable energy powerhouse.

Desert to Power will develop and deliver 10 gigawatts of solar energy by 2030 in 11 countries where 64% of the population lives without electricity – impacting education, health and business. The project will have a positive impact on Senegal, Nigeria, Mauritania, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Chad, Sudan, Ethiopia, Djibouti and Eritrea.

At an event held during the 27^e The Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet, represented by the Executive Director for Africa, Joseph Nganga, announced on Friday in Sharm El Sheikh the $35 million support to the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) under the initiative.

SEFA is a multi-dollar dedicated fund created to provide catalytic financing to unlock private investment in renewable energy.

Norway’s Minister for International Development, Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, announced a contribution of NOK 300 million (approximately $29 million) from her government to support SEFA.

The event – organized by the African Development Bank in the Africa pavilion at COP27 titled Desert to Power – transforming the Sahel from vulnerability to resilience and prosperity —brought together ministers, development partners and private sector representatives to discuss how to facilitate private sector investment in the Sahel.

The event was an opportunity to present the Desert to Power program to potential partners and gather investors for its implementation.

Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, addressed the participants, including ministers from the Sahel region, and stressed the importance of electricity for ensuring security and poverty alleviation.

“Desert to Power is a $20 billion initiative to generate 10,000 megawatts of solar energy… This will be the largest solar zone in the world and so we want to turn this into a real economic activity… one that will generate productive energy that can be used by the countries in the Sahel,” said Adesina.

The head of the African Development Bank said the initiative had several components, including utility-scale solar generation, decentralized energy solutions, transmission and distribution, utilities reform and an efficient policy and regulatory environment to secure investment.

Adesina said the program would significantly contribute to climate action by protecting a Great Green Wall from desertification and other climate change impacts.

He also referred to the US$1 billion Sahel G5 financing facility approved by the bank’s board of directors earlier this year, which includes $150 million in concessional funds from the Green Climate Fund as a key facility to mitigate solar risk. energy projects in the private sector.

The bank chief thanked the heads of state and ministers of the various host countries for their support for the initiative.

Norway’s Minister Tvinnereim emphasized the role of renewable energy in sustainable development. “We need to ensure access to renewable energy and prevent old fossil emissions. To tackle the crisis in the region, we need the willingness of the governments of the region. We also need sustainable access to renewable energy and the Desert to Power program developed by the African Development Bank addresses these critical issues.

President Mohamed Bazoum of Niger addressed the event via video link, reiterating his government’s support for the program. The energy ministers of Mauritania and Niger, as well as senior representatives from key Desert to Power partners, including Power Africa, the Swedish International Development Agency, the European Commission, the International Renewable Energy Agency, the Green Climate Fund, ACWA Power and MASEN. underlined their support for the initiative.

Nganga of the Global Energy Alliance said the Alliance would also support de-risking investments in the Desert to Power infrastructure, as well as innovative solutions that would make the program a success.