Ethiopia and the United Kingdom have signed an Energy Compact to support the acceleration of the off-grid solar market in Ethiopia by creating business opportunities, more jobs and improving access to electricity by poor people in the country.
The compact is part of the UK’s Energy Africa campaign which was launched in October 2015 to develop the household solar market as one of the cheapest and most effective ways of accelerating universal energy access in the continent by 2030.
According to the campaign, 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa who make up 70 per cent of the population have no access to electricity and 50 per cent of businesses view the lack of reliable access as a major constraint to doing business.
Through the Energy Africa campaign, the UK and its African partners are working to develop the continent’s energy sector and to increase energy access and bring about sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
The UK-Ethiopia Energy Compact was signed by Ethiopia’s Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity Dr.Engineer Sileshi Bekele and Susanna Moorehead, the British Ambassador o Ethiopia.
“The Compact will bring together British companies, British technology and Ethiopian demand to support innovative ways of supplying clean energy to poor people in rural areas,” Moorehead said.
The UK will help Ethiopia’s Government achieve its ambitious energy access targets by developing partnerships with the private sector by providing support to build delivery capacity within the Government and supporting businesses wishing to work in and expand this market.
This article was first posted on Footprint To Africa.
