Hydropower plays a key role in all of the African Development Bank’s High 5 priority areas that are intended to support the continent’s achievement of the UN Sustainability Goals. This is according to Batchi Baldeh, director power systems development at the AfDB, who took part in a live discussion presented by the Africa Energy Forumon “Overcoming Development and Environmental challenges to unlock Hydropower’s Potential in Africa,” as part of the current Digital Energy Festival for Africa.

A key resource across the continent, providing the vast majority of electricity generation in countries such as Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia; hydropower is also a complex resource to implement with a comparatively lengthy development process, environmental and a lack of development capital to be overcome.

“AfDB is the continent’s bank,” said Baldeh, “we offer various financial instruments across the project cycle for both private sector and public sector operations. Our strategic framework for power is based on the High 5s which are to Light up and Power Africa; Feed Africa; Industrialize Africa; Integrate Africa; and Improve the living conditions of Africans and hydropower plays a key role in all of those High 5s.” 

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Source: EsiAfrica