OREANDA-NEWS. The issue of Africa’s industrialization was the focus of the 35th Session of the NEPAD Heads of State and Government Orientation Committee that met in Kigali, Rwanda, in the context of the African Union Summit.

At the July 16, 2016 event, the leaders deliberated on the importance of intensifying industrialization and scaling up the continent’s electrification programs. They urged the New Partnership for Africa’s Development to work with regional trading blocs to achieve industrialization for sustainable development.

Representing Rwanda’s President, Foreign Minister Louise Mushikiwabo asked the delegates to consider implementing partnerships aimed at reaching sustainable development. “Our goal of sustainable development cannot be realized without industrializing Africa. Our deliberations are important and should lead to practical outcomes geared towards achieving an industrialized Africa,” she added.

The Committee’s Chairperson, Senegal’s President, Macky Sall, stressed that “without energy there is no industrialization”. He said there was urgent need for an appropriate industrialization strategy that will ensure a steady pace across the continent.

Addressing the meeting, President Akinwumi Adesina of the African Development Bank, outlined the Bank’s New Deal on Energy for Africa whose goal includes expanding grid-power by 160 Gigawatts, connecting 130 million people to grid, another 75 million people to off-grid sources, and 150 million households to clean cooking energy.  “We must have energy for light, clean cooking and baseload energy,” he said, emphasizing the need to ensure the right energy mix on the continent.

He noted the importance of having a timeline that allows Africa to make adjustments to its energy mix, citing the AfDB-led Africa Renewable Energy Initiative, which is expected to deliver 10 GW of new and additional renewable energy generation capacity by 2020. It also seeks to mobilize Africa’s potential to generate at least 300 GW by 2030.