NEPAD, being the implementing arm of the African Union (AU), is embarking upon an exercise that accelerates the development and implementation of Africa's High Priority Renewable Energy Projects. This is the NEPAD Agency's contribution to the implementation of the Africa Renewable Energy Initiative that was endorsed by the AU Summit in June 2016 and also to the SE4ALL Initiative. The exercise involves the provision of a platform where project owners at national level directly present their chosen projects to developers and financiers and strike business deals for either the development of projects to bankability, or financially close a project if it has reached bankability.

The first batch of projects will be from the countries that have completed or are in the process of completing the Action Agenda and Investment Prospectus of the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative (SE4ALL). The NEPAD Agency is cooperating with The Africa Energy Indaba conference to host focused sessions where country project owners will present their selected projects to potential investors, developers and other interested stakeholders, who would consider funding these projects for further development or implementation.

NEPAD Senior Energy Advisor, Professor Mosad Elmissiry, commented, "This will be the first time that country governments will be showcasing their High Priority Renewable Energy Projects to the open market and looking to attract private sector participation and investment. Our role is to faciliate and aid this matchmaking to ensure these projects are developed. We believe this is what the private sector has been looking for - opportunities to view new renewable energy project opportunities by the project owners."

The Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) initiative

The Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) initiative is a multi-stakeholder partnership between governments, the private sector, and civil society. Launched by the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General in 2011, it has three interlinked objectives to be achieved by 2030:
1. Ensuring universal access to modern energy services;
2. Doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and 
3. Doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

At the core of the SE4All initiative is the concept that access to sustainable energy is not an end in itself, but that increased access to sustainable and modern energy services is key to achieving improvements in most sectors, including health, education, economic development, poverty reduction, gender empowerment, environment protection and climate change.

The SE4ALL Initiative has been welcomed by many African countries on the understanding that it advances “Africa’s Priority Energy Projects” and is implemented alongside other ongoing national, regional and continental energy initiatives in Africa like the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA). This is in particular relevant with regards to resource mobilisation and action-oriented delivery mechanisms.

At present 44 countries have joined the Initiative; the majority of which have completed a Rapid Assessment and Gap Analysis. In addition, Action Agendas (AA) and Investment Prospectuses (IP) are either developed or under development in approximately 17 African countries respectively.

SE4ALL at the 2017 Africa Energy Indaba

The Africa Energy Indaba in Johannesburg from the 21-22nd February 2017, will host the SE4ALL countries that will be showcasing their High Priority Renewable Energy Project Opportunities, identified at country level as the “High Priority Projects” to provide energy to the respective country.

The actual project owners (country government representatives) will be providing the full Investor Prospectus at the Africa Energy Indaba and showcasing the High Priority Project Opportunities to the private sector to consider for investment.

Various African countries will be present to showcase their Investment Prospectus’. Potential investors will have the opportunity to carefully examine each project, enter into one to one discussions with the project owners and conclude specific deals with the project owners. Projects to be presented are at different stages of development, covering those that finished both pre-feasibility or full feasibility studies and looking for finance for implementation.  The session will be facilitated by the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency.

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