EnergyNet is to host the second annual Powering Africa: Summit at the Marriott Marquis, Washington, D.C. from 27-29th January 2016.
Industry leaders from the USA and Africa who have confirmed to attend include Minister Jeannot Matadi Atadi Nenga Gamanda, Minister of Energy and Water Resources, DRC; Obeth Kandjoze, Minister of Energy and Minerals, Namibia; Andy Herscowitz, co-ordinator, Power Africa and Trade Africa; Anita Marangoly George, senior director, Energy and Extractives, The World Bank Group and Karen Breytenbach, head of the Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office, Department of Energy, South Africa. Powering Africa SummitThe Powering Africa Summit (PAS) is an investment conference where African ministers of finance and energy and US government agencies behind the Power Africa initiative meet with private sector investors and power developers from across North America and Africa. The first meeting, held in January 2015, saw 17 African countries represented with 57% of attendees originating from North America. Programme Manager Veronica Bolton-Smith commented, “PAS is a valuable platform as it enables dialogue between key stakeholders and developers, chiefly heads of African utilities, US-based private equity houses and wealth management establishments.” The aim of the meeting is to drive forward strategic partnerships between investors, project developers, governments, utilities and regulators to achieve the goal of bringing power to Africa.
Investing in African infrastructure
Following a surge of private equity interest across Sub-Saharan Africa, PAS will explore the power and infrastructure projects currently piquing the interest of investors, including the gas to power supply chain. Attendees will also receive an update on the South African Gas IPP programme and the opportunity this presents to investors. Industry and agriculture will feature on the 2016 agenda, examining the role transmission plays in the success of these industries.
