UNCTAD has launched on Nov 22, 2017 “The Least Developed Countries Report 2017” that it says will serve as valuable input to the deliberations of the High-level Political Forum which will review progress on Goal 7 of Sustained Development Goals. Achieving Sustained Development Goal 7 means ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
To achieve universal access to electricity by 2030 will require grid extension to reach an estimated 571 million more people, mini-grids to serve 341 million and stand-alone systems for 114 million people, the report stated.
Despite an impressive rate of progress in recent year, only 4 of the 47 Least Developed Countries (LDCs) could achieve universal access to electrify by 2030 without accelerations of the rate of increase in access, it further revealed.
Only 7 more could do so even if they doubled their current rate of progress.
According to the report, the economic “win” of access to modern energy lies in its potential contribution to structural transformation of the economy, increasing productivity and providing new opportunity for the development of higher value added activities, the report pointed out.
In this regard, productive use of electricity is essential in making investment in electricity generation and distribution of economically viable.
Speaking at the launching of the LDCs Report 2017, Dr. Gebrehiwot Ageba, Programs Director at Ethiopian Development Research Institute, said Ethiopia is committed to ensuring sustainable energy, where the industry sector and cities especially use clean energy.
The LDCs Report 2017 estimates that the investments required to achieve universal access to electricity in all the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) by 2030 are 12 to 40 billion USD per year.
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