Austria confirms continued support to EEP Africa

EEP Africa was first launched in 2010 under the leadership of MFA Finland with co-financing from Austria and the UK. It has been at the forefront of efforts to fast-track clean energy access and sustainable and inclusive green growth across the region.

In January 2018, EEP Africa transitioned into a multi-donor trust fund hosted and managed by NDF and providing early-stage grant and catalytic financing to innovative clean energy projects, technologies and business models.

The new financing commitment from Austria will support access to clean energy in 15 countries in Southern and East Africa and highlights a strong start for the Fund. Discussions are ongoing with additional donors with the aim of growing the commitments to the Fund by the end of the year.

EEP Africa increases energy supply and access to renewable energy for poor people and promotes energy efficiency by demonstrating and deploying new technologies in Southern and East Africa. EEP Africa targets the key barriers of access to finance and information in order to advance low carbon private sector development in a cost-effective and evidence based way.

According to ADA Managing Director, Martin Ledolter, “Austria is convinced of the necessity to invest in climate change mitigation and thus driving forward the renewable energy agenda in the global fight to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. This is why Austria explicitly supports renewable energy and low-carbon technologies such as solar, hydro, wind and biofuels. Hence the participation within this successful partnership with Finland and the Nordic Development Fund provides Austria a unique opportunity to contribute to our convictions in this area on a larger scale and to jointly be at the forefront of efforts to fast track clean energy access and sustainable and inclusive green growth across the region.”

NDF Managing Director, Pasi Hellman, noted, “Austria’s contribution has special significance as it is the first time that a non-Nordic partner commits funding under NDF management. This highlights Austria’s continued commitment to EEP Africa and our shared priorities for energy access and low carbon private sector development in Africa as well as trust in NDF to lead the programme into a new phase.”

Since 2010, EEP Africa has channelled more than EUR 57 million to more than 200 pioneering projects leveraging innovative clean energy technologies and energy access business models to transform lives and livelihoods with particular focus on the very poor.

EEP projects have improved energy access for more than 900,000 households and contributed to more than 8,000 new jobs, of which more than 3,000 accrued to women. EEP financing has also triggered direct greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions of more than 1.3 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent and leveraged more than €150 million in additional investment.

For more information, please visit www.eepafrica.org or get in touch at info@eepafrica.org
 
Austrian Development Agency (ADA)

Combating poverty, ensuring peace and preserving the environment: These are the three major concerns of Austrian Development Agency (ADA), the operational unit of Austrian Development Cooperation. ADA funds projects and programmes currently with a total of EUR 500 million to improve living conditions in developing countries. Together with the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs (MFA), partner countries, public institutions, civil-society organisations and businesses, ADA seeks to ensure that sustainable development works to the benefit of all people in Africa, Asia, South-Eastern and Eastern Europe as well as in the Caribbean.
For more information, please contact oeza.info@ada.gv.at

Nordic Development Fund (NDF)

NDF is the joint development and climate finance institution of the five Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. NDF finances and facilitates climate investments in Africa, Asia and Latin America. In addition to managing EEP Africa, NDF finances clean energy development in Africa through a mix of innovative and complementary blended finance facilities with a range of other bilateral, multilateral and private sector partners.
For more information, please contact Jussi Viding, Project Officer at jussi.viding@ndf.fi