Amongst the attendees were senior representatives from The China Electricity Council, China-Africa Development Fund, DLA Piper, Jinko Solar and Chint.
The session entitled 'The China-Africa Partnership: An Insight into Future Investment Plans' was well-attended by African Ministers of Infrastructure and Energy, as well as senior representatives and heads of African utilities.
During the panel discussion the vice-president of the China Electricity Council, Wei Zhaofeng, announced the intentions of some of the largest Chinese power utilities and investors to develop the hydro-electric resources in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia as well investing in wind energy, together with energy transmission facilities. The growing China-Africa investment collaboration has put into action 80 projects on the African continent which over the last 11 years has totalled in excess of $3bn.
Over the past 20 years, China has proved itself to be Africa's largest development partner in the energy sector. The discussions last month highlighted China's successes in the development and connection of renewable energy projects. The session additionally outlined the future hopes for Chinese investment in Africa, and stressed that the Chinese official policy is to not only fund energy projects through lending of debt, but to play a greater role as an equity investor in Africa.
EnergyNet is looking forward to continue this dialogue at the upcoming Africa Infrastructure and Power Forum, which will be taking place at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Beijing, China on 15 and 16 October 2015. This year's agenda has been developed around pivotal and transformational large-scale infrastructure, and upcoming power projects being launched in the following 18 months across sub-Saharan Africa.
The Africa Infrastructure and Power Forum is now in its fourth year and will be joined once again by CADFund, who have been supporting the meeting for the past four years. The meeting attracts over 250 high-level delegates, as well as African Ministers of Energy, Infrastructure and Finance, and heads of African utilities and regulators. Specifically, the agenda this year presents over ten power and infrastructure projects currently being developed on the continent, available for investment.
