“We are very sensitive to the idea that Africa
deserves to have power,” Kim said, referring to the possibility of
supporting coal projects. “There’s never been a country that has
developed with intermittent power.”
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This represents a further softening towards financing coal. Last year
this was ruled out except “where there are no feasible alternatives
available to meet basic energy needs and other sources of financing are
absent.”
Bloomberg reports that Africa is experiencing an “almost energy
apartheid,” where two-thirds of the population lacks access to power,
Kim said in a Bloomberg Television interview at the Africa Business
Forum in Washington.
He added that investment will be made in renewables sources as much as
possible. He had one proviso: “But at the same time, we’ve got to
respect the Africans’ demand for access to power.”
The World Bank also used the forum to announce that it will be
committing $5bn to boost electricity generation in Ethiopia, Ghana,
Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, and Tanzania.
Energy shortages are a major obstacle to growth in Africa, with about 70
per cent of the population lacking electricity, according to the
International Energy Agency.
Barack Obama’s administration has proposed a Power Africa programme,
which still requires action by Congress. It is a five-year, $7bn plan to
double access to power in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria and
Tanzania.
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