MOGADISHU, Dec. 17 (Xinhua) -- The African Development Fund, the concessional financing arm of the African Development Bank Group, has approved a 23.36-million-U.S.-dollar grant to bring clean and reliable electricity to Bosaso, a key commercial hub in northern Somalia.
According to a statement released on Tuesday, the project will bring solar home systems to families that have never before had access to electricity, including internally displaced people living in vulnerable conditions.
Bubacarr Sankareh, the Bank Group's lead operations advisor for Somalia, said that the project will change lives in Bosaso for families and small businesses. "It will make electricity cheaper, cleaner, and more reliable and is a major step toward a stronger and more resilient energy future for Somalia," Sankareh said.
The Rehabilitation and Expansion of Bosaso Power Grid and Strengthening of Energy Sector Institutions project is funded through the African Development Fund, which is contributing 9.62 million dollars, and the Transition Support Facility, providing 13.74 million dollars.
The project will introduce new solar generation, expand the distribution network, and install modern meters to help households manage energy use more efficiently.
"Somalia has one of the lowest electricity access rates in the world. About half of the population lives without power," said the bank group, noting that the project will also create new jobs during construction and long-term work opportunities in system operations and maintenance.
It will also support public institutions through technical training and capacity building so that Somalia can better plan and regulate its energy sector, the group added.
