EDITOR’S NOTE: Don’t the European politicians have any thing better to do with their money? The African dictators like Meles Zenawi will steal most of the fund. What Africa needs is accountable governments, not handouts.
ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) – The European Union has set aside 1 billion euros to fund power generation in several African states under a two-year partnership deal with the African Union to enhance investments in the sector.
Experts say Africa needs to spend an estimated $560 billion by 2030 to generate an additional 260,000 megawatts (MW) of power.
Countries to benefit from the EU windfall will include Senegal, Namibia, Ethiopia and Kenya, EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel told a news conference.
EU Energy Commissioner Andris Piebalgs said the agreement, which runs from 2008-10, would also promote energy interconnection projects between Africa and Europe.
2 thoughts on “EU earmarks 1 billion euros for Africa energy growth”
Western countries don’t “give” foreign aid unless it is a boondogle to begin with, if it is going to help the average African improve their lives it never gets off the ground, the countries targeted for help are some of most corrupt regimes in the world so don’t look for any improvement to the standard of living for the average African, the money will go to generate power for exploitation projects whose sole purpose is to produce commodities for the lenders themselves while making life miserable for the average person.
Eritrea asked the western countries to help her with its dilapitated power generating and distribution system in the early 90s and everyone of them either flat out refused or made it so expensive for the people and government that the young Eritrean government turned to some Asian countries to help with power generation and rural electrification, now in Eritrea the rural electrification project is well under way and more and more villages are getting power lines installed with the participation of the people and government, despite the crippling energy prices you don’t see power shortage in Eritrea as you do in Ethiopia and other African countries because most African countries don’t take responsibility for their development and don’t reinvest on infrastructure.
I don’t see this EU plan doing anything good for the people fo those countries listed above, it will only put them in debt and misery in the long run.
Eritrawi,
You are the most honest soul around.
If not for you, who would have told us about this hidden conspiracy against those countries listed above, especially of Ethiopia?
Thank you, for you are our beloved Wardia.
Peace.