Press Release: New EU support to provide access to energy to two million people in Africa

On 1 April 2014, the European Commission announced the results of the first call for proposals of an innovative programme for providing finance to bring electricity to the world's poorest citizens. This initiative also shows that the EU has been a leader in the campaign to provide Sustainable Energy for All.

This is a first step in a new innovative programme to bring electricity to many millions. Over the next 7 years the Commission aims to spend more than €2 billion in supporting energy in Africa. This will, in turn, leverage investments exceeding €10 billion, filling in the gaps for energy infrastructure and therefore allowing businesses, schools, homes and hospitals to get the electricity they require.

The countries which will benefit from this initiative are: Madagascar, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Cameroon, Liberia, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Rwanda.

• Primary Source

European Commission: EuropeAid: What we do: Energy: Sustainable Energy for All http://ec.europa.eu/europeaid/what/energy/sustainable/index_en.htm

Website: Sustainable Energy for All http://www.se4all.org/about-us/

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