Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has urged African countries to adopt the use of technology and partner with the private sector in order to drive development in the region.
This comes as the Deputy President made the remarks in Nairobi during the Africa Green Industrialization Initiative forum. According to Kindiki, the future of Africa will be determined by the level of investment in technology and the people of Africa.
Kindiki said the coming years will not be dictated by globalization like the past but rather the level of investment in the people of Africa and the adoption of technology in order to drive development in the region. “We must use technology to solve today’s problems and build a better future,” he said.
Kindiki said Africa is still lagging behind in the adoption of clean and green energy despite the vast potential in the region. He added that Africa is only generating 56 gigawatts of green energy but still has a long way to go in order to support industries in the region.
He said that this can only be done if governments work with private companies.
“We must work with the private sector. They have ideas and resources that can help move things faster,” he added.
However, Kindiki observed that the country is already making significant strides in the use of clean energy. He stated that 93 percent of the electricity in the country is generated through clean sources such as geothermal, wind, hydro, and solar power.
This, he stated, made the country attractive to investors who wished to set up businesses using clean sources of energy.
During the event, the Deputy President launched various initiatives in the promotion of clean energy in the country. One such initiative was the plan to promote clean cooking in the country.
The Deputy President stated that many Africans still lack access to electricity as well as clean cooking facilities. He stated the need to treat clean energy not only as a social agenda but as an investment opportunity.
The event saw leaders and investors gather to discuss how Africa could actualize ideas in clean energy as well as sustainable industries.
