'Mission 300' Side Event At Baku Climate Change Conference (COP29)

14 November 2024
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African Development Bank (Abidjan)
announcement

WHAT: 'Mission 300' Side Event at Baku Climate Change Conference (COP29)

WHO: The African Development Bank Group, World Bank Group; African government representatives; Rockefeller Foundation, UN Sustainable Energy for All

WHEN: Friday, 15 November 2024; 13:30-15:00 Baku Time (GMT+4)

WHERE: Africa Pavilion, COP29, Blue Zone, Baku, Azerbaijan & online

Livestreaming: English | French

The African Development Bank the World Bank Group and other development partners will co-host a side event at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, to highlight progress in their joint initiative, "Mission 300," to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030 through innovation and transformative partnerships.

Scheduled for Friday, 15 November, at the Africa Pavilion, this event will showcase pioneering approaches to attract private investment in off-grid solar, mini-grid, and clean cooking solutions.

Access to electricity is essential for development, yet nearly 600 million Africans remain without it, creating barriers to health, education, productivity, digital inclusivity, resilience, and employment. Achieving a global clean energy transition depends on addressing this energy gap, especially in Africa, where reliance on traditional, polluting energy sources affects health and the environment.

Launched by the African Development Bank and World Bank, "Mission 300" is a bold initiative to close Africa's electricity access gap, with nearly half of new connections anticipated through private sector-led renewable solutions like mini-grids and off-grid solar. This approach will provide affordable energy to vulnerable communities while advancing climate action.

Friday's side event will showcase investors, donors, and philanthropic organizations to explore how they can support Mission 300 through innovative financing and market-expanding strategies. The event will feature a panel discussion moderated by Damilola Ogunbiyi, CEO and UN Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All. Speakers include:

  • Dr. Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate and Green Growth, African Development Bank
  • Mohamed Gouled, Vice President of Industries, IFC
  • Mohamed Ould Khaled, Minister of Energy and Oil, Mauritania
  • Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Minister of International Development, Norway
  • Jacqueline Novogratz, Founder and CEO, Acumen
  • Junaid Kamal Ahmad, Vice President of Operations at the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA)
  • Dr. Daniel Schroth, Director of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, African Development Bank
  • Franz Drees-Gross, Regional Director for Infrastructure, AFW, World Bank

The event is open to all COP29 Blue Zone registrants and will be live-streamed in English and French.

Join the conversation: #COP29, #AfricaCOP, #AfDBatCOP, #Mission300, and #PoweringAfrica to connect on social media and share your thoughts.

Read the original article on African Development Bank (AfDB).

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