Please join the Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center, Africa Center, and USAID’s Power Africa on Wednesday, November 2, from 9:30 am – 10:30 am ET for a discussion on creating enabling environments across the range of emerging markets on the African continent to accelerate deployment of clean energy systems and build resilient green economies. During this discussion, experts will highlight opportunities to support US and African business partnerships to increase energy access in line with net-zero goals across a diverse range of African nations.

To achieve today’s climate goals, the transformation of the global energy system is imperative. However, African nations are faced with the challenge of deploying a low carbon energy system while drastically increasing energy access. The increased deployment of renewable energy systems in the US and advancements in clean energy technology will provide an opportunity for increased investment in clean energy in Africa due to more favorable economies of scale. This makes collaboration between the U.S. and Africa crucial. Increased deployment of clean energy in Africa will improve lives and livelihoods across the continent, unlocking opportunities for sustainable businesses, healthcare facilities, and schools to fuel green economies.

In the lead up to COP27 in November and the African Leaders Summit in December, how can the US business community support Africa’s energy requirements on their path to net-zero? What type of enabling environment is necessary to accelerate investment and deployment of clean energy systems in Africa? How is Power Africa creating enabling environments to increase energy access across African nations? How can the dual challenges of climate change and energy poverty be addressed in tandem? What actions are necessary to support green growth in Africa while accelerating the energy transition?

This discussion will feature US and African business leaders, as well as Mark Carrato, the coordinator of Power Africa. Power Africa is a US Government initiative which leverages the weight of private partners to work towards the goal of deploying 30 GW of cleaner and more reliable electricity generation to 60 million new home and business connections by 2030. Since 2013, Power Africa has helped deliver electricity to nearly 159 million people for the first time, and avoided 6.2 million tons of CO2 emissions in 2021.

Opening remarks

A conversation with

Ayaan Adam
Senior Director & CEO
Africa Finance Corporation Capital Partners

Mark Carrato
Coordinator
Power Africa

Ifeanyi B. Orajaka
Founder & CEO
Green Village Electricity Projects Ltd.

Gia Schneider
CEO
Natel Energy

Moderated by

Stay connected! Follow the conversation on Twitter with @ACGlobalEnergy and @ACAfricaCenter using #ACEnergy and #AfricasTimeHasCome