United Kingdom reaffirms strong support for SEforALL

London - The UK’s new government has reaffirmed its strong backing for the Sustainable Energy for All initiative following last month’s parliamentary election. Grant Shapps, Minister of State in the Department for International Development, told SEforALL CEO Kandeh Yumkella the UK was committed to continuing its long-standing support for the initiative, particularly on energy access issues. Briefing Shapps in his office at the Houses of Parliament on June 11, Yumkella paid tribute to the UK’s engagement with SEforALL since its inception, including significant financial support. At the Second Annual Sustainable Energy for All Forum in New York last month, the UK pledged new funding for SEforALL’s Global Facilitation Team to coordinate, facilitate and track progress towards the three targets for 2030 on energy access, energy efficiency and renewables. The UK is also enabling a new programme for Green Mini-Grids in Africa, which is providing clean, safe energy access to a million people in Kenya and Tanzania, and supporting work to bring sustainable power to clinics in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a particular focus on improving maternal and neo-natal health. Justine Greening, the UK’s Secretary of State for International Development, is a member of SEforALL’s Advisory Board.