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The 5th Powering Africa: The Financial Options was held at the Serena Beach & Spa, Mombasa.

Click here to download the working agenda.

Essential Questions

Expanding power provision is increasingly a government priority. But how to fund it remains a government headache. What are the options?
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State Utilities have a firm grasp of the financial options, but still the lights go out. Why?
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Privatization is constantly revisited in Africa, and constantly abandoned. Will the procedure in Nigeria be any different this time round?
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Latin America and the Middle East are held up as exemplars of private power. Why has it been so difficult to replicate this success in Africa? And how can the status quo be changed?
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If the project is bankable the money will follow. Fact or fiction?
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Having withdrawn during the financial crisis, banks are now back. What is their role in financing African power projects?
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Is risk allocation more a costly fudge than a rational endeavour?
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FDIs have been fundamental in providing finance. What are their projects?
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How do EPC contractors see their role in funding power projects?
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Bridging the gap. Who will fund renewable energy projects?
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Financial questions: currency, corporate bonds, debt, stockmarkets. How will they influence the financing of power projects?

The PAFO discussions aim to provide
Answers

The Value of the PAFO Dialogue

The distinguishing feature of the EnergyNet dialogues is the high level of interaction between government officials, executives and financiers, who are there to share with each other the challenges they face and explore solutions. This is best achieved through discussion, rather than passively listening to presentations.

Discussions are initiated by asking pre-agreed questions and then inviting comments. This process makes for lively interaction. The PAFO agenda is a collaborative effort, with participants being invited to propose topics for discussion. EnergyNet sets out a framework for the agenda, and proposes broad questions as a starting point for the experts. PAFO has established its reputation as the meeting where financial and industry experts gather annually to discuss how to fund expansion of the African power sector.