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AfrElec NEWS IN BRIEF AfrElec

SOL AR

AfDB named Development

Finance Institution of the
Year

African Development Bank wins AFSIA
Development Finance Institution of the Year
award for increasing solar energy footprint
across Africa
develop the Boikarabelo coal mine in South broke ground in 2011. The African Development Bank was
Africa’s Waterberg region has been thrown The renewed talks followed US President named the Development Finance Institution
into doubt after the withdrawal of two of its Donald Trump’s comments in which he said of the Year at the 2020 African Solar Industry
four key funders. downstream Egypt could end up “blowing Solar Award (AFSIA) , in recognition of
ResGen’s shares have been suspended from up” the project, which Cairo has called an its increasing solar energy footprint across
trading until November 9 while it seeks to existential threat. The remarks angered Africa.
resolve its financial crisis. Ethiopia. The award, from the African Solar
The Industrial Development Corporation Foreign and irrigation ministers of the Industry Association (AFSIA) presented 29
of South Africa (IDC) said this week that three nations met last week and delegated October, during the virtual African Energy
after completing a due diligence investigation experts from their countries to discuss and Forum, underscores the critical role the
for the purpose of the extension, a view has agree on an approach so the talks could be Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa
been formed that the market conditions fruitful. (SEFA) is playing in supporting various solar
under which Boikarabelo would operate have But differences remained and Wednesday’s initiatives and decentralized solutions. The
deteriorated materially. meeting failed to bridge the gaps, said African Development Bank was shortlisted
Based on the findings, the IDC’s Special Mohammed el-Sebaei, Egypt’s Irrigation with the World Bank and the West African
Credit Committee resolved that IDC should Ministry spokesman. Development Bank.
not grant an extension of the common terms Sudan’s water ministry said in a statement: “Congratulations to the AfDB team on
agreement, Resgen said. “Water ministers of Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia winning this inaugural DFI of the Year Award.
Further, the IDC Special Credit Committee agreed to end this round of negotiations over The Bank’s hard work through the Sustainable
also decided to cancel all previously approved Ethiopia’s Nile dam.” Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) has been
facilities under the mine funding package. “This round … failed to make any tangible unanimously recognized by the independent
Noble Resources has ruled out providing progress,” the statement read. jury for its contribution to support the
additional funding to get the project to Sudan’s Irrigation Minister Yasser Abbas development of distributed solar solutions,
financial close and South Africa’s Government said the talks did not achieve concrete said John van Zuylen, CEO of the African
Employees Pension Fund has also withdrawn progress and that Egypt opposed a Sudanese Solar Industry Association. “I look forward
its support for the proposal. proposal supported by Ethiopia to maximise to AfDB’s participation in the AFSIA Solar
In late October the company, which has the role of the African Union (AU) experts. Awards next year, hopefully with an even
no operating mines, flagged it would need Ethiopia said the countries “were unable to more impactful program.”
US$1 million to keep the company operating reach a complete agreement” on items such as “This award will be an inspiration to all of
through to the end of January. the “basis for the upcoming negotiation and us to do more: to speed up implementation,
In November 2019 ResGen said it and the time frame”. to scale-up investments and to seize the
its subsidiary Ledjadja Coal, has signed It said they would turn to the chair of the synergies with all the great efforts underway
agreements for funding the proposed 6mn AU Executive Council and South Africa’s across the continent, “ said Daniel Schroth,
tonnes per year mine. foreign minister “to consult on the next steps”. the Bank’s Acting Director for Renewable
Multiple rounds of talks have over the years Energy and Energy Efficiency.
failed to produce an agreement on the filling In line with its New Deal on Energy,
and operation of the vast reservoir behind the the Bank has significantly increased its
HYDRO 145-metre (475-foot) tall hydropower barrage. investments in the solar sector in recent years
Key questions remain about how much for both large-scale developments, such as the
GERD talks fail again water Ethiopia will release downstream if a Ouarzazate solar complex in Morocco, as well
multi-year drought occurs and how the three
as various decentralized energy initiatives in
Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan have once again countries will resolve any future disputes. the mini- and the off-grid sector at country
failed to agree on a new negotiating approach Ethiopia rejects binding arbitration at the and regional levels.
to resolve their years-long dispute over the final stage of the project. AFDB
controversial dam that Ethiopia is building on El-Sebaei, the Egyptian spokesman, said
the Blue Nile River, Al-Jazeera reported. the three countries would separately report Sudan, UEA agree to build
In late October, the three African nations their positions to South Africa, which heads
resumed virtual talks over the filling and the AU. 500MW of solar
operation of the $4bn Grand Ethiopia
Renaissance Dam (GERD) project, which Sudan and the United Arab Emirates signed

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