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Good Energy Collective (GEC) is honored to have supported Dr. Andrew Kamau’s participation in the Nuclear Energy Innovation Summit for Africa (NEIS Africa) in Kigali, Rwanda, last month. Dr. Kamau—former Co-Director for the Energy Opportunity Lab-International Projects at Columbia University, and former Principal Secretary at Kenya's Ministry of Petroleum and Mining—led the Ministerial Panel, which featured officials from Rwanda, Kenya, Mali, and Togo. The panel discussion, “Contextualizing Africa Energy Needs and Securing Political Commitment,” explored the political leadership and national strategies needed for meeting the unique energy needs of African countries, where more 600 million people lack access to electricity.
Hosted by Rwanda and the Rwanda Atomic Energy Board, the NEIS for Africa Summit brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and global experts to discuss the potentially pivotal role of nuclear power technologies, especially small modular and micro modular reactors (SMRs and MMRs), in addressing energy poverty, supporting economic development, and accelerating the clean energy transition in Africa. The event was a seminal collaboration among the hosts, key regional financial organizations, and international institutions that are critical to the energy and economic development landscape, including the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA), and the World Nuclear Association (WNA).
Dr. Kamau, the formal Principal Secretary for Petroleum and Mining in Kenya, has played a central role in initiatives expanding clean energy access to Kenyans, championing transparency, and reducing industry’s carbon footprint. As a seasoned energy policy expert and passionate supporter of sustainable economic development, he is highly sought after for his innovative problem-solving and thought leadership.
Ahead of the summit, Erik Funkhouser, GEC’s Executive Director, and John Cornwell, GEC’s Director of Policy and Research, were pleased to work with Dr. Kamau in preparation for his panel, lending research support on the current state of nuclear power in Africa and opportunities for overcoming challenges to nuclear development. Dr. Kamau led a lively and productive discussion on leveraging nuclear power’s potential in Africa, and GEC is eager to see how this important conversation develops in the coming months, as well as how it translates into action.
At GEC, we see tremendous opportunity for SMRs and MMRs to help alleviate energy poverty by expanding access to reliable, firm electricity in underserved regions, as well as to support industrialization by powering critical infrastructure such as mining operations, manufacturing, healthcare systems, and educational institutions. We look forward to continuing to support efforts that center equity, innovation, and African leadership in the global clean energy future.
