Investment in energy a priority for East Africa

The international energy investment forum that ends today in Kigali should be a springboard for international investors seeking to invest not only in Rwanda’s power sector but that of the entire East Africa region.Indeed, the very fact that the conference, which brought together investors, energy experts and government officials, could not have chosen a better venue than Kigali, where the government has gone out of its way to make the sector one of the pillars of its development agenda.However, investing in the crucial sector does not come cheap and as the minister of State for Energy and Water said at a news conference, prior to the opening of the conference, there is need to invest at least US$5 billion within the next five years.Figures from the Energy Water and Sanitation Authority (EWSA) show that it generates and distributes 100 megawatts, which is short of the 1000 megawatts needed to meet the country’s development agenda and vision.The government has invested in research and identified the areas that have the potential to produce energy. What remains is finding the investors who will work with the East African people to meet the growing energy requirements.

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Investment in energy a priority for East Africa