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Exploringhydropower forsustainabledevelopment inAfricaMeeting on Hydro-power forSustainable Development 2011Addis Ababa, Ethiopia31 March 2011am pleased to have the opportunity to say a few words at this meetingon ‘Hydropower for Sustainable Development’. I believe that theIchoice of the theme is timely because it focuses attention on a matterof great importance for us in Africa and I therefore thank the organizersaccordingly.It is particularly appropriate that this conference is holding in Ethiopia becauseof clear and demonstrable commitment on the part of its governmentto launch as part of its growth and transformation plan, hydropowerand other renewable energy resources projects aimed at generatingabout 10,000 megawatts over the next five years. I salute Prime MinisterMeles Zenawi on this inspiring vision.It is common knowledge that Africa is very well endowed with a rich varietyof energy resources, including oil, coal, and other fossil fuels, hydroelectricity,solar and other sources of renewable energy. Paradoxically,however, Africa has yet to fully exploit this massive energy potential tobuttress and sustain its development. Whether measured in generationcapacity, electricity consumption, or security of supply, Africa’s power infrastructuredelivers only a fraction of the service found elsewhere in thedeveloping world.Africa with 14% of the global population produces only about 3% of theworld’s electricity. From a business viewpoint, power shortages and regu-Integrating Africa315