Paris-Nairobi Conference - Proceedings

Energy is critical to economic development and poverty reduction. The provision of reliable, affordable and sustainable energy services, especially for the poorest, contributes decisively to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. Without energy, economies cannot grow and poverty cannot be reduced. Insufficient electricity supply affects many developing countries. Productivity, competitiveness, employment, and economic and social development are therefore limited. Low income countries are uppermost victims of climate change, though being the least responsible and the least armed to tackle and mitigate it. To meet the energy needs of Africa and other countries vulnerable to climate change and engage them on a sustainable development path, a priority for all countries, a concerted common global action is needed. This action shall be connected with existing initiatives in order to complement and enhance their efficiency. 2012 has been declared the international year for energy access by the United-Nations and during its presidency of the G8/G20, France wishes to foreground this issue. Therefore, France and Kenya want to contribute to this overall action, launching a global partnership for universal access to clean energy. In this context, the ministerial meeting launched this partnership on April 21, 2011 in Paris, France. This first meeting discussed ways to mobilize financing to achieve universal access to energy and to develop cleaner energies. Several obstacles have to be addressed and the following challenges shall be overcome: strengthening national and regional legal framework, improving capacity building and project management (source localization, technological options) and risk management. This document brings together the available presentations given at the conference. Twelve presentations (slides) are compiled in this document and deal with: 1 - white paper presentation (A. Mohamed, P. Lorec); 2 - Establishment of ECREEE as a regional response to ECOWAS energy needs (M. Kappiah, ECREE); 3 - Energy access, sustainable development and climate change: the Gabon experience (R. Immongault); 4 - Presentation of the Vergnet Group, Wind Turbine, Water pumps and Solar systems installer; 5 - Indicators for the selection of projects to climate-proof energy systems (H. Connor, Helio International); 6 - Presentation of the Paris-Nairobi Climate Initiative by the International Energy Agency (F Birol, IEA); 7 - Presentation of the Japan's Cooperation for Energy Infrastructure (1 slide only); 8 - JICA's Experience in Energy Sector Development (Kyoko Kuwajima, Japan International Cooperation Agency); 9 - Presentation of Lake Turkana Wind Power project; 10 - The global rural electrification programme of Morocco (A. Benkhadra); 11 - Presentation of the Qatar National Food Security Programme (1 slide only); 12 - Developing access to energy (G. Vermot Desroches, Schneider Electric)