Efforts to foster electricity and energy development in Africa was the focus of a hearing held today by Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Africa Subcommittee.

    The congressional hearing, entitled “The Future of Energy in Africa,” featured testimony from the U.S. State Department, U.S. Energy Department and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) about prospects to bring about policies to help energize the continent, which in turn could help expand consumer markets and international trade, and improve the quality of life for millions of people.

    “The great irony is that Africa has more than enough energy capacity to join the rest of the world in utilizing modern technologies that require regular energy supplies,” Smith said. “Ironically, 30 percent of global oil and gas discoveries over the past five years have been in sub-Saharan Africa. Yet currently, only 290 million out of 914 million Africans have access to electricity, and the total number lacking such access continues to rise. Bioenergy, mainly fuel wood and charcoal, is still a major source of fuel.

    “It seems that every few months, there is yet another discovery of petroleum or natural gas in Africa,” Smith said. “Nevertheless, African countries remain net importers of energy, and the distribution of power from the many new sources of energy in Africa remains unfulfilled.  This constrains trade and economic progress, social development and overall quality of life in Africa.” Click here to read Smith’s opening statement.



    The hearing included testimony on the prospects of H.R. 2548, the Electrify Africa Act, legislation that seeks to improve the African power sector–from increased production to more effective provision of energy.  H.R. 2548 passed the House this past May, but has languished in the Senate ever since.  If no Senate action is taken during the remaining days of the current 113^th Congress, this legislation will have to be reintroduced next year. Also discussed was the Administration’s Power Africa initiative and other assistance to build the capacity of the African power sector.

    “African people, like people everywhere, deserve the benefits that modern technology has produced.  Africa has become a prized global consumer market, but that market cannot be fully realized without electricity,” Smith said. “Anyone visiting stores in Africa can see the many modern technologies offered to African consumers today; they merely need guaranteed electricity for those goods to be useful. The consumer goods the growing African middle class is purchasing need electricity.”

    The hearing featured Dr. Robert F. Ichord, Jr., Ph.D., Deputy Assistant Secretary at the Bureau of Energy Resources, U.S. Department of State; Eric G. Postel, Assistant to the Administrator, Bureau for Africa at the U.S. Agency for International Development; Jonathan Elkind, Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of International Affairs, U.S. Department of Energy; Walker A. Williams, President and Chief Executive Officer of Leadership Africa USA, and; Dianne R. Sutherland, Owner and Publisher, Petroleum Africa Magazine. Click here to view Smith’s opening statement, read the witnesses’ testimonies or watch the hearing.

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