By Hauwa Ali
The United Nations (UN) has announced a new plan to accelerate the transition to
renewable energy in the least developed countries, particularly in Africa through
the mobilization of 600 billion dollars for electrification and access to clean
cooking by 2025.
The new initiative, ‘new Energy Compact Action Network’ announced recently in a
statement by the UN, is being launched globally to facilitate access to electricity
through renewable solutions and clean cooking by 2025.
In Africa alone, 550 million people still do not have access to electricity according
to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
At the same time, more than 900 million sub-Saharan Africans do not yet have
access to clean cooking according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
The UN Action Network thus aims to connect governments seeking support for
their clean energy goals with governments and companies that have already
pledged financing.
The network brings together 200 governments, businesses and other civil society
partners who have pledged to mobilize $600 billion to accelerate access to
electricity worldwide.
And on that basis, the UN wants to facilitate access to electricity for 500 million
people, as well as the distribution of clean cooking kits to one billion people
worldwide.
“By creating opportunities for collaboration, the Network will turn the billions of
dollars of funding and investment committed to the Energy Pacts into on-the-
ground action for the sustainable energy future we urgently need,” says Damilola
Ogunbiyi, the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sustainable
Energy for All (SEforALL) and Co-Chair of UN-Energy.
The network will begin its actions in Nigeria and Chile (in Latin America), before
expanding to other countries.
Nigeria is the most populous country on the African continent, with an estimated
population of 206 million, and with an electricity access rate of only 34% in rural
areas, according to Power Africa.
The UN wants to support Nigeria’s energy policy by leveraging on solar home
systems and mini-grids to power five million homes, schools, hospitals and other
public services.
