Two years ago, Türkiye was shaken by a series of devastating earthquakes, which claimed over 50,000 lives and caused direct damages exceeding $34 billion and associated reconstruction costs estimated at $ 81.5 billion. Entire neighborhoods were reduced to rubble, with thousands of homes, schools, hospitals, and transportation networks destroyed. More than 1.5 million people were displaced, and millions face an uncertain future in the wake of the immense loss and disruption.
Continue readingSeating in her bedroom in Ndorong Serere, a village located 100 kms from Senegal’s Capital Dakar, Khady studies her natural science textbook under the steady glow of an electric lamp. Her dream of becoming a doctor fuels her focus, the conditions around her now match her aspirations. Just weeks ago, the scene was starkly different – she had to ration her flashlight batteries carefully, limiting her study time each evening and often struggling to complete her homework before the batteries died completely.
“I can now study my lessons in better conditions at night”. Khady attributes her recent academic progress not only to her teachers and her commitment but also to the arrival of reliable lighting. “Last year at this same time, I had a grade of 10 in natural sciences. This year, I have a grade of 17,” she says with a proud smile.
I learned and practiced carpentry at 10 kilometers from Ndorong Serere, but when electricity came to this locality, I didn’t hesitate to return and open my first carpentry workshop.
Djaraf,
Carpenter
Khady’s story reflects Senegal’s broader journey toward universal electricity access. The country has made significant strides, with a national access rate of 84% according to government sources. This progress has transformed millions of lives, yet the journey is far from over. While urban areas enjoy near-universal access, over 30 % of rural communities remain disconnected from the grid.
For Ndorong Serere, the arrival of electricity has been a catalyst for transformation. Djaraf, a skilled carpenter, is one of the many who seized new opportunities. “I learned and practiced carpentry at 10 kilometers from Ndorong Serere, but when electricity came to this locality, I didn’t hesitate to return and open my first carpentry workshop,” he explains.
Beyond economic opportunities, electricity has restored dignity and improved quality of life. Village elder Cheikh Diouf recalls past struggles: “When someone passed away, residents had to travel 10 kilometers to get ice to preserve the body while waiting for the deceased’s family to come.” Now such basic challenges are a thing of the past, as energy access has fundamentally reshaped the community’s daily reality.
Senegal’s commitment to universal electricity access is supported by innovative financing and strategic partnerships, including the Senegal Energy Access Scale Up Project with a $150 million financing from the International Development Association (IDA). The project aims to build and rehabilitate nearly 4,000 kilometers of power lines. It will bring electricity to 200,000 households, electrify 600 health clinics and 200 schools, and ensure that 100% of distribution infrastructure is resilient to climate related events. A least-cost geospatial electrification plan is also in development to optimize efforts. Senegal’s energy strategy prioritizes mobilizing $2 billion in private investments. Recognizing that achieving universal access cannot rely solely on public resources, the approach leverages private sector innovation and efficiency to meet ambitious targets.
The Government’s vision for the sector goes beyond access to embrace sustainability. Exploiting its gas reserves, Senegal has embarked on an ambitious plan to convert its heavy fuel production to gas and increase its renewable energy share to 40% of its generation mix by 2030, while expanding total generation capacity by 70%. This effort is part the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), a global financing initiative through which Senegal partners with France, Germany, the European Union, the United Kingdom, and Canada to achieve universal energy access and develop a sustainable, low-carbon energy system by promoting renewable energy technologies. Additionally, the country is accelerating access to clean cooking solutions, aiming for an annual growth rate of 11.3%, up from the current 3.25%.
This push for clean energy access would benefit more people, with particular focus on women and communities disproportionately burdened by traditional cooking methods. The initiative aligns with the broader “Mission 300” movement, which aims to connect 300 million Africans to electricity by 2030.
In Ndorong Serere, these national ambitions are already creating tangible change. It is a scene that Senegal hopes to replicate across every village and town, illuminating the path toward a more equitable and sustainable future.
Are you interested in contributing to Ukraine’s reconstruction and looking for financial opportunities? Then join our information session on international financing options for reconstruction on 13 February 2025. We will inform you about the opportunities that international financial institutions (IFIs) can offer you.
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What will it take to bring electricity to 300 million people in Africa who currently live without it? This is the goal we’ve set for Mission 300—to halve the number of people on the continent without reliable electricity by 2030. But setting a goal is just the spark. We need a full-blown power surge of bold reforms, investments, and an enabling environment for sustainable, scalable, and affordable energy solutions.
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As we welcome 2025 and close the first quarter of the 21st century, it is a moment for reflection. We find ourselves at a pivotal midpoint—five years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and five years away from the 2030 deadline for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Yet, food and nutrition insecurity remain pressing global challenges. Many countries continue to grapple with recurring crises fueled by climate change, high food prices, and conflict, all of which undermine access to the healthy, nutritious food that people need to thrive.
DAR ES SALAAM, January 28, 2025 — Thirty African Heads of State and governments today committed to concrete reforms and actions to expand access to reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity to power economic growth, improve quality of life, and drive job creation across the continent.
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A rural health center in Mateliona Betafo, Madagascar, has transformed healthcare delivery with solar-powered electricity through the World Bank-supported LEAD Project. For nearly seven years, midwives like Lovatiana Rasoarinjanahary worked under unsafe, dim conditions, relying on candles or dying phone batteries. Since June 2024, the center – one of 500 electrified by LEAD – now provides safe, well-lit care, benefiting vulnerable populations. The project improves lighting, refrigeration, and sterilization, enhancing maternal and child healthcare while supporting Madagascar’s goal to double electricity access through cost-effective, off-grid solutions. Lives and communities are brighter and safer with this innovation.
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As the 21st century dawned, world leaders were in a confident mood. They resolved to make “the right to development a reality for everyone” and free “the entire human race from want.” Fifteen years later, buoyed by the initial burst of progress, they set a tight deadline: “We resolve, between now and 2030, to end poverty and hunger everywhere.”
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