"Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit to Concretize Efforts to Connect 300 Million Africans to Energy by 2030"

" Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit to Concretize Efforts to Connect 300 Million Africans to Energy by 2030 \r\n\r\nIn a bold step to address Africa\u2019s persistent energy crisis, the World Bank Group and the African Development Bank Group will convene an Africa Energy Summit on January 27-28 to advance an ambitious plan to deliver electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.\r\n\r\nThe summit, slated for Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, will bring together 13 African Heads of State, international partners, philanthropies, and private sector leaders to advance Mission 300 -- a groundbreaking initiative to scale energy access and accelerate the continent\u2019s clean energy transition.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe time to act is now,\u201d said Franz Drees-Gross, World Bank Director of Infrastructure for West Africa. \u201cMission 300 represents not just an ambitious target but a movement\u2026we are creating a lasting impact that will power Africa\u2019s growth and enable millions of people to access the essential services electricity provides,\u201d Drees-Gross told journalists at a media briefing on Thursday.\r\n\r\nThe World Bank Group and the African Development Bank launched the initiative in April 2024 in an unprecedented collaboration, alongside other global partners, to bridge the persistent energy access gap in Africa, leveraging innovative technology and innovative financing. Nearly 600 million Africans, representing a staggering 83 percent of the world\u2019s energy have-nots -- lack access to electricity.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe upcoming Summit will unveil new initiatives aimed at boosting domestic resource mobilization and encouraging cross-border trade to spread risk and increase financing for energy access,\u201d African Development Bank\u2019s Director for Energy Financial Solutions, Policy and Regulation, Wale Shonibare, said in is opening comments.\r\n\r\nAlready, the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) and The Rockefeller Foundation have committed $10 million to create a technical assistance facility supporting electricity projects across 11 African nations.\r\n\r\n\u201cWhat makes this initiative different from what institutions have done in the past is the \u2018all hands-on deck approach\u2019 with a lot of institutions working hand-in-hand to deliver the ambitious agenda,\u201d explained Sarvesh Suri, IFC\u2019s Director for Infrastructure in Africa.\r\n\r\n Key outcomes expected from the Africa Energy Summit \r\n\r\nThe Summit will culminate in the signing of the Dar es Salaam Energy Declaration, committing African governments to accelerate energy access, promote renewable energy adoption, and attract private investment.\r\n\r\nThirteen pilot countries, including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire, will pledge reforms in five key areas \u2014 low-cost power generation, regional energy integration, increased energy access, enabling private investment, and utility strengthening.\r\n\r\nFinancial institutions, such as the International Finance Corporation are expected to outline new investment vehicles and funding initiatives to support the private sector\u2019s role in advancing distributed renewable energy solutions.\r\n\r\nThe two-day gathering will also highlight energy sector successes in selected countries, establish an alliance of sector stakeholders to accelerate energy infrastructure investments, and strengthen regional power planning, markets trade, and policy frameworks to support the implementation of the Continental Master Plan and the African Single Electricity Market.\r\n\r\nMission 300\u2019s strategy encompasses both traditional grid expansion and innovative off-grid solutions to reach remote communities. The program will prioritize sustainable financing models and address critical challenges such as currency mismatches in project funding.\r\n\r\nDaniel Schroth, African Development Bank\u2019s Director for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, emphasized the urgency of implementation. \u201cIt's a tight journey because 2030 is only five years away and we have to deliver, not expected connections, but actual connections to 300 million by 2030.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe summit is expected to draw over 1,000 participants from across Africa and beyond, marking a crucial milestone in the continent\u2019s journey toward universal energy access."

"Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit to Concretize Efforts to Connect 300 Million Africans to Energy by 2030"

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