President Obama: Powering Africa - Doubling the Number of People Who Have Access to Electricity

[bigtree]

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the Ubongo Power Plant in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, July 2, 2013 (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)


Nearly 70 percent of Africans lack access to electricity, and today, President Obama visited the Ubungo Symbion Power Plant in Dar es Salaam to highlight a new initiative called Power Africa, which aims to double the number of people across the continent who have access to power.

The Ubungo plant represents the type of model Power Africa seeks to replicate, matching public and private resources with projects led by African countries that are taking the lead on reforming their energy sectors.

The U.S. is committing nearly $7 billion in support, and private sector companies have committed more than $9 billion, as President Obama explained today. “This is a win-win,” he said.

"It’s a win for Africans -- families get to electrify their homes; businesses can run their plants; investors can say if we locate in an African country, that they’re going to be able to power up in a reliable way. All this will make economies grow. It’s a win for the United States because the investments made here, including in cleaner energy, means more exports for the U.S. and more jobs in the U.S. And, obviously, a growing market in Africa will mean more opportunities for all countries."

During his tour of the plant, President Obama also spent a few minutes playing with a SOCCKET ball, an energy generating soccer ball that harnesses the kinetic energy generated during play to provide a source of renewable, off-grid power. The ball was invented by Jessica Matthews, a dual citizen of Nigeria and the United States, when she was 19 years old.


read: http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/07/02/powering-africa

related:

Fact Sheet: Power Africa
Learn more about the President's trip to Africa

[Recursion]

1. This is DU. It's better for people to have no power than a US corporation make money providing it.

Am I cynical? This thread will tell.

[Cha]

5. Didn't have Snowden in the title and Pres Obama is doing

something for the Peeps in Africa. Not enough to latch on with ODS.

I doubt you're being too cynical.

[ucrdem]

2. Great pics, thanks for posting !

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. Thanks bigtree.

[bigtree]

4. kick

[Cha]

6. We're helping them to help themselves, bigtree..

Much better than only money.

mahalo for the thread~

[bigtree]

7. I think the private partnerships are a brilliant idea

. . . to allow the people to 'help themselves,' as you say, Cha.

. . . and, doesn't it provide an excellent opportunity for them to establish contacts and business relationships with these companies which will bring more opportunity and wealth to the region in the form of jobs created, and more opportunity to build an infrastructure for increasing their economy-enhancing trade with other countries. It's a very dynamic initiative which should positively influence the region for generations to come.

best regards