The UAE is committed to delivering traditional and renewable energy as a fundamental pillar to ensuring global economic growth and security, said General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

General Shaikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan with Henry Puna, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands; Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy, Vice-President of the Republic of the Gambia; Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, President of Iceland; Macky Sall, President of Senegal; Ernest Bai Koroma, President of Sierra Leone; Hailemariam Desalegn Boshe, Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and John Dramani Mahama, President of Ghana, at the opening ceremony of the 2014 World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi on Monday. Gen Shaikh Mohammed said this while inaugurating the seventh World Future Energy Summit (WFES) and second International Water Summit, during the launch of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week (ADSW), which focused on Africa’s energy challenges and how they impede the region’s economic development.

The topic of Africa — and its potential to ‘leapfrog’ technologies and grow its economy — was highlighted during a panel discussion that united Macky Sall, President of Senegal; Ernest Bai Koroma, President of Sierra Leone; and Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

Over 30,000 people are attending the event, taking place at Adnec. ADSW is the Middle East’s largest gathering focused on addressing the interconnected challenges affecting energy, water and sustainable development.

Speaking to the politicians, business executives, academics and technologists, gathered from across the world, Shaikh Mohammed said that energy — the backbone of economic growth — plays an even more important role in arid climates where water security is dependent on energy-intensive desalination.

“Without achieving long-term energy and water security, sustainable development cannot be achieved,” he said. Gen Shaikh Mohammed said Masdar and its projects are extending the UAE’s energy leadership and solidifying the country’s strong position on the ‘renewable energy map’.

“The UAE will also continue to diversify its own energy sources, while advancing viable clean technologies, in an effort to improve energy security and achieve sustainable development,” he added. Gen Shaikh Mohammed emphasized Africa’s tremendous opportunity to adopt sustainable development as a pathway to grow its economy, while protecting its natural resources.

Delivering his keynote address, UAE Minister of State and Chief executive of Masdar Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said sub-Saharan Africa offers tremendous development opportunities. “With six of the 10 fastest growing economies of the past decade are located in sub-Saharan Africa. The development opportunities in this region are tremendous,” said Dr Jaber.

He said but these economies were also hampered by energy industries beset by high costs, poor reliability and often limited or no access to the grid. “Providing safe, reliable and sustainable energy in sub-Saharan Africa, and in developing countries across the world, relies on our ability to rethink the energy sector,” he said.

“Access to clean technologies will allow developing economies to ‘leapfrog’ the inefficient technologies of yesterday, allowing them to rapidly adopt and scale the advanced technologies emerging on the market today. These new industries will have the most opportunity for growth and the most impact in the developing world.”

The United Nations’ “Decade of Sustainable Energy for All” began this year and calls upon member states to ensure universal access to more sustainable sources of energy are a priority for national policies.

The declaration also calls upon governments, companies and civil society to work together to achieve universal energy access, double the global energy efficient rate and double the share of renewables in the global energy mix. However, despite the continent’s growing stability, impressive macroeconomic statistics and growing middle class, more than 600 million Africans still lack safe and reliable access to electricity.

“Africa is a continent that is moving and changing, blessed with a dynamic population and youth, and natural resources that are important to its future growth. Paradoxically, despite its potential, Africa suffers from drawbacks that hinder its swift development,” said Macky Sall, President of Senegal. “Therefore, we need an energy mix that is sustainable for nations that do not produce oil, like Senegal.”

“Ethiopia sees there is a huge global challenge because of rising greenhouse gas emissions. Even though Africa contributes negligible emissions compared to the rest of the world, we have opted for a green climate friendly vision for our future,” said Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Source: www.khaleejtimes.com