The African Union (AU) High Representative for Infrastructure Development, Raila Odinga, has called on African countries to invest more in the renewable energy sector.
Speaking at a conference at the University of Strathmore on energy supply, Odinga deplored the fact that only 16,000 people are working in renewable energy in sub-Saharan Africa, while there are nearly 600 million people in the black continent lack electricity! “Energy is the sector on which Kenya and Africa as a whole can rely on in the coming years to stimulate economic development, attract investment and create jobs for young people,” he said.
Odinga linked sustainable energy provision to the continent’s efforts to create jobs for its youth. “The continent’s population, which is expected to double in the coming decades – with the majority of them under the age of 18 – will need many jobs. Good jobs always go where there is an environment that combines the right energy infrastructure with transportation and Internet connectivity.” he said.
