Ethiopia is playing a significant role in achieving continental goals by connecting the region through renewable energy infrastructure, according to Minister Habtamu Itefa (Dr. Eng.) of Water and Energy.
Minister Habtamu Itefa (Dr. Eng.) stated that Ethiopia's abundant water resources are being harnessed for renewable energy development, making electricity accessible to neighboring countries. He highlighted that in the first nine months of the current budget year alone, Ethiopia earned over $220 million from electricity supplied to neighboring countries and cryptocurrency mining companies. This represents a doubling of revenue compared to the same period last year.
Ethiopia's Role in Regional Energy Integration
The African Union's Agenda 2063 aims to create an integrated continent based on a Pan-African vision and African renaissance. A key part of achieving this is developing infrastructure that facilitates connections between countries. Ethiopia is taking a leading role in this by connecting the region through its power infrastructure.
Minister Habtamu emphasized that Ethiopia's capacity for power generation has significantly increased, demonstrating its readiness to meet the region's electricity demands. He noted that within nine months, Ethiopia generated 6.8 gigawatts of power, which can be distributed to neighboring countries and other areas. Large-capacity transmission lines have also been extended to these countries.
Meeting Growing Energy Demands
Countries like Djibouti, South Sudan, and Kenya are showing high demand for electricity, and Ethiopia is working on providing studied responses to these requests. Kenya and Tanzania are basing their power interconnection plans on Ethiopian energy sources. Ethiopia aims to extend power supply as far as South Africa in the future to strengthen continental integration.
Ethiopia has been supplying power to Sudan, Djibouti, and Kenya for many years, with increasing revenue from these exports.
Environmental and Regional Benefits
Ethiopia's efforts in renewable energy development are also contributing significantly to mitigating the effects of climate change. This work enables countries in the region to utilize green energy and create a pollution-free environment.
Beyond generating income, Ethiopia's power infrastructure connectivity offers multifaceted benefits, including fulfilling the region's desire for joint development and enhancing Ethiopia's influence on common issues. Minister Habtamu concluded by stating that these initiatives significantly contribute to shared development, cooperative growth, and the realization of continental goals, ENA learned.