Energy Ministers discuss energy investments and access-Plan 8 Rome

6. Considering that lack of energy access in Africa, notably in the
sub-Saharan region, is widespread and a major impediment to living
standards in this continent, we support the proposal for the creation
of an Expert-Level Working Group within an appropriate framework and
with participation from G8 countries and other countries,
particularly from the African continent, and institutions who may
wish to contribute on enabling entrepreneurs to build clean energy
businesses serving rural and urban Africa.

The Expert-Level Working Group should:
a) include participants from governments, NGOs, and the private
sector, especially entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and financial
institutions to increase policy-making capacity and activate all
participant countries on potential new policies and approaches;
b) focus on how to promote public-private partnership to provide
energy services to the poorest of the poor in Africa, seek ways to
support small scale power networks, identify new approaches to
reducing urban energy poverty and promote alternative fuels while
improving forest governance to reduce the case of charcoal and fuel
wood;
c) identify actions that all participant countries can take to build
private sector clean energy business in Africa, including local
factories to manufacture fuel efficient cook-stoves, energy services
firms to provide small-scale electricity access for villages, and
micro-scale co-generation.

--SPA