Mamadou Sangafowa-Coulibaly, Ivorian Minister of Mines, Oil and Energy took part in the round table organized by Power Africa and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in New-York. He debated the theme “An energy solution for West Africa”.
In his presentation, the Ivorian minister presented the progress achieved by his country over the last decade in the electricity sector and energys renewables, under the leadership of President Alassane Ouattara.
This round table allowed stakeholders to take stock of their partnership and think together about possible solutions to accelerate the development of Africa through electrification.
Minister Sangafowa-Coulibaly welcomed the support constant support of the American Government and the Bretton Woods institutions, towards Côte d’Ivoire, in a fragile sub-regional context and expressed the gratitude of the Ivorian government to the MCC for the approval by its board of directors of the September 18, 2024, a donation of 300 million dollars with a view to carrying out the Regional Compact.
During this meeting, the Minister of Mines, Oil and Energy announced that Côte d’Ivoire has developed a robust investment plan in the electricity sector and in energys renewable. According to him, this plan is underway to cover the needs of Côte d’Ivoire and those of neighboring countries.
He nevertheless admitted that the country faces a number of challenges such as the availability of gaz naturel and the financial balance of the electricity sector whose sales price still does not cover the cost of production.
Sangafowa-Coulibaly stressed that the key to access to electricity in Africa remains closely linked to the cost of producing kWh, while revealing that electricity produced from gas remains the cheapest and most reliable.
“What Africa needs is to attract investment in the exploration and exploitation of gaz naturel. It is at these two levels that the American government’s support for the African continent can be significant,” he declared.
Sangafowa-Coulibaly pleaded for the private sector who is the most qualified to produce and sell electricity accesses financing at a subsidized rate which will make it possible to further lower the price of the kWh produced.
The other panelists, Modou Cessay, chief of staff to the President of the Gambia, the Honorable Richard Nelson, coordinator of the Power Africa project and Yvonne Iké, Director of the Sub-Saharan Africa department of Bank of America, recognized that there could be no have development in Africa without electricity.
The panelists, overall, indicated that solutions for electricity in Africa must be driven by the private sector who must demonstrate creativity to find mechanisms adapted to their local markets in order to make their investments profitable.
Before the panel, Alice Albright, Executive Director of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), spoke with Minister Sangafowa-Coulibaly. She welcomed the quality of Côte d’Ivoire’s energy policy as well as the efforts made in recent years. Hence, according to her, the choice of Côte d’Ivoire as the energy hub within the framework of the regional compact which donated an envelope of 300 million dollars which will make it possible to strengthen the production, transport and energy distribution.
During this round table which also recorded the participation of the Honorable British Robinson (Prosper Africa Project Coordinator), the Honorable Isobel Coleman, Deputy Administrator of USAID. The US government reaffirmed its commitment to leveraging its experience and resources in the service of Africa, and promised to give private sectorthe means to carry out this project.
Wassimagnon
