Washington, D.C. to welcome African Ministers of Energy to international investment conference on African Power

The first Powering Africa: Summit attracted over 450 delegates to learn about the opportunities for investment into Africa’s power sector[/caption] 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 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 H.E. Hon Minister Jeannot Matadi Atadi Nenga Gamanda, Minister of Energy and Water Resources, DRC, H.E. Hon Minister 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 Groupand Karen Breytenbach, Head of IPP Office, Department of Energy, South Africa. The Powering Africa: Summit (PA:S) 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, “PA:S 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. Following a surge of private equity interest across Sub-Saharan Africa, PA:S will explore the power & 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. Targeted workshops will examine the landscape for investment in Morocco, South Africa and Nigeria, as well as exploring industry-specific themes such as Public Private Partnerships and “Innovation time”- a workshop for innovators to meet with private equity investors. The 2016 Summit will launch a networking app to enhance participants’ experience by allowing them to set up private meetings and meet with the right contacts more easily. *APO]]>