EAIF 2023 to turbocharge investments to power the world
Abidjan, 15 March 2023 – The Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE) is pleased to announce that the ARE Energy Access Investment Forum (EAIF) 2023 will be taking place in Abidjan, Ivory Coast on 21-23 March. The event is co-hosted by African Development Bank (AfDB) and Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) and made possible by GET.invest and Prospect. GET.invest and Prospect are supported by the European Union, Germany, Sweden, the Netherlands and Austria.
Since its debut in 2015, EAIF has been the premier annual business and financing event for the renewable electrification sector, enabling and encouraging partnerships between businesses and investors with the goal of driving renewable electrification, energy access, economic growth, decarbonisation and climate change mitigation.
Each year, the ARE’s global flagship investment event gathers key stakeholders in the renewable electrification industry, providing an ideal platform for business and investor partnerships. In March 2023, the Forum aims to bring together up to 350 on-site delegates and more than 700 virtual participants. The delegates include private and public financiers, energy and climate investors, development finance institutions, international funding partners, government officials and private sector companies.
David Lecoque, CEO of ARE said: “There is a need to vastly increase investments in renewable electrification. Especially decentralised renewable energy solutions hold the best business case for most of those that are still unelectrified today. There is an enormous opportunity for investors to step into the market at this moment or to increase their participation in it. Join us in Abidjan and virtually at EAIF to be part of renewable electrification efforts onwards to 2030.”
Approximately 733 million people worldwide still lack access to electricity, primarily in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America & the Caribbean. Regrettably, current investments aimed at achieving universal energy access are deemed insufficient, necessitating a threefold increase to meet the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With the rising demand for sustainable energy solutions worldwide, prompted by mounting concerns regarding climate change and energy security, there is significant potential for growth in the renewable electrification sector.
Albert Fuchet, Global VP of Access to Energy from Schneider Electric said: “Access to energy is not just a basic need, but a fundamental right that can unlock economic opportunities, improve health outcomes and advance social progress. The Energy Access Investment Forum is a crucial platform for the private and public sectors to come together and collaborate towards bridging the energy access gap. Through strategic investments and innovative solutions, we hope to not only bring sustainable energy to underserved communities but also drive inclusive growth and sustainability for all.”
In light of this, ARE endeavours to mobilise public, private and philanthropic investments through initiatives such as EAIF, to facilitate and support access to electricity in developing nations. EAIF 2023 will help to demystify and speed up access to funding and resources, and also guide a rewarding and mindful journey that will enable businesses and investors to work together.
The event will feature insightful sessions, interactive panels, an exhibition, as well as GET.invest Matchmaking sessions. For more information on the agenda, please visit the website.
Finally, EAIF 2023 is supported by an exceptional array of sponsors from the DRE sector including Schneider Electric as the Diamond Sponsor, ENGIE Energy Access and International Copper Association as Gold Sponsors, ADA Microfinance, EDP, and Zayed Sustainability Prize as Silver Sponsors. Bronze Sponsors include Greeno, I-REC Standard, NRECA International, REPP, and Turbulent Hydro. The event’s partners include Green People’s Energy for Africa as key strategic partner, ADEME, CLUB-ER, CORE Initiative, Energy Catalyst, International Finance Corporation, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, and UNIDO.
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