Today,
the future of Africa holds more promise and opportunity than ever before.
From
urbanization and economic growth, to public health and energy, Africa is
developing at a pace that rivals nearly every other region of the world. It is
truly the continent of the 21st century.
Until
recently, East Africa was considered poor in traditional energy sources. Since
2010, however, natural gas discoveries in Tanzania, Mozambique and other
countries have made East Africa a hotbed of regional gas exploration and
development. As countries such as Tanzania, Mozambique and Kenya join Nigeria
in beginning to realize the potential of new oil and natural gas reserves, it
is essential that we work with our partners to ensure these resources are
developed responsibly and in a way that benefits populations.
While
Africa’s great potential is clearer today than ever before, it still faces
significant challenges in its economic and social development. Access to
electricity is necessary for sustainable economic growth and the largest
infrastructure deficit in sub-Saharan Africa is in the energy sector. In fact,
today, nearly 70 percent of Africans—or about 590 million people—lack access to
power. This number rises to more than 85 percent in rural areas.
Closing
this huge access gap is critical and urgent, and the benefits of new oil and
gas reserves will take years, if not decades, to fully realize.
Investing
in Africa’s energy development is something that will take the collective
effort of all of us—including the U.S. government, African governments,
multinational institutions and the private sector.
With
the administration’s Power Africa initiative and complementary bills in the
House and Senate, the U.S. government is committed to expanding access to
power, generation and transmission in Africa that includes an emphasis on
renewable energy and off-grid solutions.
Critical
to this initiative’s success is building the capacity to develop, approve, and
effectively bring power projects on line. To support this, we are working with
African governments to promote reforms that aim to improve energy governance.
Now,
while many African countries are rapidly urbanizing, we must continue to invest
in mini-grid and off-grid solutions as well, in order to meet the goal of
doubling access to power in Africa. Distributed generation using renewable
energy sources must also play an important role in the future of power
generation. From solar to hydropower, geothermal, wind and natural gas, African
nations have the tools to increase access to power while realizing a cleaner
energy future.
With
the great opportunities and challenges that remain, it is essential to continue
to partner with
organizations such as Oxfam and the Brookings Africa Growth
Initiative, which effectively help communities throughout the world address
energy poverty.
I’m
optimistic that together we can enable Africa to unlock its infinite potential
and improve the lives of future generations.
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