France To Give Africa 6bn Euros For Energy

LE BOURGET – France will give African countries €2bn over the next four years to develop renewable energy and replace the fossil fuels that drive global warming, President Francois Hollande said on Tuesday.

Of that, one third is to help the continent develop renewable energy.

African leaders welcomed the announcement but called on all rich countries to contribute to realising their countries energy needs.

Akinwumi Adesina, the president of the African Development Bank similarly talked about a “new deal” on energy for Africa.

“A very substantial part of our effort will benefit Africa, particularly the electrification of the continent without waiting for 2020”, said Hollande.

In addition, he said Paris would triple to 1 billion euros a year by 2020 its contribution to Africa’s battle with desertification and other climate change challenges.

President Muhammadu Buhari also in Paris yesterday urged developed countries to make strong financial commitments to the $14 billion urgently needed to revive the Lake Chad Basin.

Though Africa produces considerably lesser number of greenhouse gases, the continent at large is vulnerable to the devastating effects of climate change.

The meeting focused on the threats from climate change, including coastal erosion, advancing deserts and rivers that are drying up.

The COP21 climate summit is now fully underway: the delegations from 195 countries represented here are meeting face to face, they’re taking decisions: who is responsible for what, who is gonna pay for what.