The government of the United States of America has reinforced its focal commitment to achieving the lofty objectives of the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) with an additional funding of US$11 million.
At a signing ceremony which held today within the precincts of the U.S Centre pavilion at the ongoing 22nd Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Marrakech, Morocco, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Power Africa initiative provided a second tranche of funding of US$11 million towards fulfilling its overall commitment of US$20 million to the African Development Bank-led Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa.
Saluting the US government’s commitment to SEFA, Amadou Hott, AfDB’s Vice President, Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, remarked that the second tranche will expand the important work already underway in components 1 and 3 of SEFA that support project preparation and enabling environment reforms.
“This demonstration of donor coordination through pooled resources serves as a model and signals to the international community our joint level of commitment to these crucial goals of generation and access,” Hott says.
The AfDB Vice President who has vast experience in structuring finance for power and energy projects with a passion for solving Africa’s power and energy need especially in renewable energy and balanced energy mix, likened the signing ceremony as a boost for the bank’s New Deal on Energy for Africa which is aimed at helping the continent to achieve universal electricity access by 2025 with a strong focus on encouraging clean and renewable energy solutions.
Andrew M. Herscowitz of Power Africa who moderated the event and signed on behalf of the US government expressed satisfaction with the SEFA-driven mechanisms which have succeeded in increasing access to small and medium-scale renewable energy generation and energy efficiency as well as providing project preparation grants to attain bankability status.
According to Herscowitz, “Power Africa has already injected a first payment of US$5 million into SEFA which directly supports the AfDB’s New Deal on Energy for Africa that ensures universal access to modern energy services; doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global mix.”
Regional Director for Sub-Saharan Africa for the U.S Trade and Development Agency, Lida Fitts, Chris Hornor, Founder and CEO, PowerHive, and Kevin Connolly of the Affordable Access Initiatives who participated at the signing ceremony lauded the U.S government-led partnership with SEFA which aims to add 30,000 MW of cleaner and more efficient generation capacity.
Fitts added that an addition of 60 million new home and business connections will unlock the energy sector potential through policy reforms and removal of barriers that impede sustainable energy development in sub-Saharan Africa.
While Power Africa offers renewable energy developers the combined resources of 12 U.S. government agencies, the World Bank Group, the AfDB, the Governments of Canada, the EU, Japan, Norway, Sweden and the United Kingdom, as well as partner African governments and more than 120 private sector partners, the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) is a multi-donor effort developed with an initial pledge between the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Government of Denmark in 2011.
Subsequently, the governments of the United States, the United Kingdom, and Italy pledged further contributions, bringing the total fund capitalization to an equivalent of US$95 million by the end of 2015. SEFA promotes African ownership, inclusiveness and a comprehensive approach to implementation in the 44 African countries that have joined the Sustainable Energy for All initiative.
It provides guidance to African governments and energy stakeholders, delivers technical assistance, fosters networking and communication, and contributes towards finance mobilisation. The SEFA goals are developed through a multi-stakeholder process that brings together government actors, development partners, private sector and civil society
MARRAKECH, Morocco (PAMACC News) - Experts at the ongoing climate talks in Marrakech have advocated the development and adoption of a policy and strategic framework that support expansion and mainstreaming of sustainable tourism certification in Africa.
Speaking at a side event in the Africa pavilion on the second day of the COP22 climate conference, water and tourism experts were unanimous in their view that African states should encourage and incentivise green certification of tourism, specifically in relation to monitoring and reducing water and waste.
This, according to them, will set the stage for existing African and International certification programs to have adequate criteria, and established processes and systems for working with the hotel sector to assess and monitor their waste and water management systems.
In addition to other environmental, social and socio-economic components of sustainable tourism, the framework will provide a mechanism to recognise that certification standards use a common and comprehensive approach to sustainability as well as summarise existing monitoring data being gathered by national tourism authorities and international/regional certification bodies specifically relating to the accommodation sector in Africa.
According to Dr. Anna Spenceley, a consultant with the African Development Bank (AfDB), African states can integrate sustainability criteria into their hotel quality-rating programs as a way of supporting Sustainable Development Goal 12 which places emphasis on responsible consumption and production, and also contribute to the objectives of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Tourism.
Jean Michel Ossete, the Coordinator of the African Water Facility, jointly sponsored by the AfDB and the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) believes that the AfDB could support member states to raise awareness on the benefits of sustainable tourism certification in Africa particularly those with currently low levels of certification,improve linkages between established certification programs and member states, where there the program is aligned with the country’s objectives, and providing guidance on the design and implementation of incentives to promote improved waste and water management.
Recognising that sustainable tourism certification provides an independent mechanism for evaluating and measuring water and waste management in African hotels, Oseloka Zikora of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) advocated support for the development of national waste and water management capacity, to ensure that countries are able and willing to establish and enabling policy framework for good practices, and that hotels can implement them.
“This should be done by providing technical advice and mentoring to governments on how they can promote better water and waste management and certification in the hotel sector through congruent policies, including through incentives, commissioning and sharing research findings on the financial and non-financial benefits of certification, and of good waste and water management practices, that provides clear quantification of the benefits that can be understood by decision makers,” Zikora added.
He further recommended the adoption of a train-the-trainers approach to making the outreach cost effective and locally relevant, as well as establish an online resource library containing tools on waste and water management, training guides and case study examples.
The experts also agreed on the need to develop external coordination and cooperation mechanisms to ensure good communication, linkages and compatible approaches.
Strategic partners identified for this include multi-laterals such as the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), bi-lateral organisations such as GiZ, and NGOs like the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the Travel Foundation and International Tourism Partnership, and also networks such as the Sustainable Tourism Certification Alliance Africa.
Collectively, the African and international certification programs have certified at least 715 accommodation facilities in 19 African countries, against their environmental, social and economic criteria.
Though the total actual number of hotels in Africa is not known, Booking.com lists 20,844 hotels in 51 of Africa’s 52 countries. It therefore implies that the number of hotels that are monitoring their waste and water consumption, and taking efforts to improve their practices, are a tiny proportion of the number of accommodation facilities on the continent.
MARRAKECH, Morocco (PAMACC News) - Experts at the ongoing climate talks in Marrakech have advocated the development and adoption of a policy and strategic framework that support expansion and mainstreaming of sustainable tourism certification in Africa.
Speaking at a side event in the Africa pavilion on the second day of the COP22 climate conference, water and tourism experts were unanimous in their view that African states should encourage and incentivise green certification of tourism, specifically in relation to monitoring and reducing water and waste.
This, according to them, will set the stage for existing African and International certification programs to have adequate criteria, and established processes and systems for working with the hotel sector to assess and monitor their waste and water management systems.
In addition to other environmental, social and socio-economic components of sustainable tourism, the framework will provide a mechanism to recognise that certification standards use a common and comprehensive approach to sustainability as well as summarise existing monitoring data being gathered by national tourism authorities and international/regional certification bodies specifically relating to the accommodation sector in Africa.
According to Dr. Anna Spenceley, a consultant with the African Development Bank (AfDB), African states can integrate sustainability criteria into their hotel quality-rating programs as a way of supporting Sustainable Development Goal 12 which places emphasis on responsible consumption and production, and also contribute to the objectives of the 10-Year Framework of Programmes on Sustainable Tourism.
Jean Michel Ossete, the Coordinator of the African Water Facility, jointly sponsored by the AfDB and the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) believes that the AfDB could support member states to raise awareness on the benefits of sustainable tourism certification in Africa particularly those with currently low levels of certification,improve linkages between established certification programs and member states, where there the program is aligned with the country’s objectives, and providing guidance on the design and implementation of incentives to promote improved waste and water management.
Recognising that sustainable tourism certification provides an independent mechanism for evaluating and measuring water and waste management in African hotels, Oseloka Zikora of the African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) advocated support for the development of national waste and water management capacity, to ensure that countries are able and willing to establish and enabling policy framework for good practices, and that hotels can implement them.
“This should be done by providing technical advice and mentoring to governments on how they can promote better water and waste management and certification in the hotel sector through congruent policies, including through incentives, commissioning and sharing research findings on the financial and non-financial benefits of certification, and of good waste and water management practices, that provides clear quantification of the benefits that can be understood by decision makers,” Zikora added.
He further recommended the adoption of a train-the-trainers approach to making the outreach cost effective and locally relevant, as well as establish an online resource library containing tools on waste and water management, training guides and case study examples.
The experts also agreed on the need to develop external coordination and cooperation mechanisms to ensure good communication, linkages and compatible approaches.
Strategic partners identified for this include multi-laterals such as the United Nations World Tourism Organisation, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), bi-lateral organisations such as GiZ, and NGOs like the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, the Travel Foundation and International Tourism Partnership, and also networks such as the Sustainable Tourism Certification Alliance Africa.
Collectively, the African and international certification programs have certified at least 715 accommodation facilities in 19 African countries, against their environmental, social and economic criteria.
Though the total actual number of hotels in Africa is not known, Booking.com lists 20,844 hotels in 51 of Africa’s 52 countries. It therefore implies that the number of hotels that are monitoring their waste and water consumption, and taking efforts to improve their practices, are a tiny proportion of the number of accommodation facilities on the continent.
A la salle 1 du pavillon Afrique de la COP 22 à Marrakech, il était question le mercredi 9 novembre 2016, de l’Initiative africaine pour les énergies renouvelables (IAER, en anglais : AREI). Ce plan de développement énergétique de l’Afrique, lancé il y a un an à Paris bénéficie d’un réel soutien des bailleurs de fonds, du secteur privé et de la société civile africaine.
Au COP21 en France, l’annonce de l’IAERavait peut-être fait quelques sceptiques. Mais au Maroc, l’adhésion africaine s’est faite sentir pour accompagner cet ambitieux projet vers l’installation d’une capacité énergétique renouvelable à grande échelle sur le continent africain d’ici 2020. Ce qui aurait un impact considérable sur la réduction des émissions de gaz à effet de serre du continent.
« C’est ce type d’initiative dont nous avons besoin », a réagi heureuxTosiMpanuMpanu, Président du groupe des Pays les moins avancés (PMA), dont l’Afrique compte 34 Etats sur les 42 membres. « C’est un projet qui apporte des solutions. Il permet de renforcer la coopération entre les pays. Il nous faut travailler la main dans la main pour sa réalisation. Ce plan doit mieux servir les PMA africains et identifier les besoins des autres PMA sur les autres continents », s’est-ilréjoui
Pour SokonaYouba, vice-président du Groupe d’experts intergouvernemental sur l’évolution du climat (Giec) et un des initiateurs de l’Initiative, l’IAER doit donner l’électricité à tous les africains, tout en combattant le changement climatique.
« Notre ambition est de produire 300 GW d’électricité en 2030. Ce n’est rien du tout. Car nous devons satisfaire le maximum de personnes », a-t-il avancé, appelant à une coopération intra-régionale sur les projets. « Tout type d’énergie renouvelable doit être promu. Nous devons mobiliser les capacités en Afrique, les renforcer là où il n’existe pas. Nous avons un calendrier à respecter », a prévenu Youba.
Début du financement
Pour accompagner ce vaste projet, un certain nombre d’engagements avait été pris dans la capitale française en décembre 2015 et commence à se traduire en acte. Le 6 novembre 2016, le gouvernement français et la Banque africaine de développement (BAD) ont signé à Abidjan, un accord d’un montant de 6 millions d’euros (7,8 millions de dollars) pour la mise en œuvre de l’IAER. Ces ressources doivent permettre de mettre sur pied l’Unité d’exécution de l’Initiative, que la BAD s’est proposée d’héberger.
Lors du panel du mercredi, le Directeur du département financier de la BAD,StéphaneNalletamby a confirmé l’engagement de l’institution à encadrer l’Initiative. « La BAD a désormais un département dédié aux énergies renouvelables et va accompagner la mise en œuvre des CPDN (Contributions déterminées au niveau national). La Banque soutient le projet de l’Initiative et nous y investirons 2 milliards de dollars entre 2017 et 2020 », a annoncé Nalletamby.
Il est à souligner qu’au moins 5 milliards de dollars des États-Unis de financement public ainsi que de financement à des taux préférentiels de sources bilatérales, multilatérales et autres, y compris le Fonds vert pour le climat, seront nécessaires entre 2016 et 2020 pour exercer un effet de levier sur 15 milliards de dollars pour d’autres investissements, pour un total d’au moins 20 milliards de dollars investis à l`horizon 2020.
Secteur privé et société civile : Une partition à jouer
Présents dans la salle 1 du Pavillon Afrique, le secteur privé et la société civile ont perçu les enjeux de s’approprier l’Initiative. Mais ils souhaitent y jouer un rôle majeur.
« D’abord, ce qui serait intéressant, c’est de regrouper les acteurs du secteur privé, qui sont pour beaucoup des commerçants. Ensuite, il va falloir que le secteur privé soit à l’endroit où les décisions sont prises en termes d’orientation. Ce ne sont pas de bons samaritains, ils viennent se faire de l’argent. Enfin, nous avons besoin d’encadrement, de renforcement de capacités », a indiqué Fatima Dia, chargé du secteur privé au Conseil patronal du Sénégal.
Un plaidoyer dans lequel s’est inscrit Kouamé Kondo, membre de la l’organisation Amis de la terre Afrique : « Le projet donne espoir, avec l’engagement des chefs d’Etats. Cependant, la participation de la société civile doit être effective. Elle doit faire partie du Conseil d’administration de l’Initiative afin de représenter les populations, Il est important qu’on y mette l’accent ».
En réponse à ces différents acteurs du continent, le vice-président du GIECleur a lancé un appel. « Faites parties du succès, de ce rêve. Ce n’est pas une question de bavardage. Une autre table ronde des ministres est prévue pour voir la faisabilité du projet et nous pensons qu’ils vont faire avancer les choses. Alors, même si vous (société civile et secteur privé)ne faites pas partie du Conseil d’administration, accompagnezle projet », a plaidé Dr Youba.
