AfDB will mobilize a full range of financing instruments to advance Sustainable Energy for All Initiative: Kaberuka

The Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for the Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) Initiative, Kandeh Yumkella, held talks with African Development Bank President Donald Kaberuka on December 12, 2013. The UN Representative and President Kaberuka used the opportunity to share perspectives on the objectives of an SEforALL workshop held that day in Tunis, namely: to agree on a common framework and methodology to move forward the country action plans and investment prospectuses; and to decide on which countries the partners' efforts will focus on in 2014. The Bank Group considers it critical for the success of SEforALL to be able to quickly demonstrate concrete progress at the country level. "The Bank will support a number of African countries with developing SEforALL Action Plans," Kaberuka said. In addition, the Bank stands ready to mobilize its full range of financing instruments to advance the SEforALL agenda and to leverage additional investments, notably from the private sector. The Tunis workshop was organized by the Bank in its capacity as SEforALL's Africa Hub. The workshop was attended by representatives of Hub partner institutions (the African Union, New Partnership for Africa's Development and the United Nations Development Programme), the European Commission, World Bank, European Investment Bank, United Nations Environment Programme, KfW, UK Department for International Development, Eskom and others. The United Nations Secretary-General launched the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative to mobilize urgent global action. The initiative brings all sectors of society to the table: business, governments, investors, community groups and academia. The mission of the SEforALL Africa Hub is to coordinate and facilitate the implementation of the initiative on the African continent. The Hub will promote African ownership, inclusiveness and a comprehensive approach to the initiative's implementation.