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Expanding energy access is one key to the government’s strategy to spur economic growth by way of industrialisation. The strategy is also expected to include privatisation of some state-owned enterprises (SOEs), notably in the sugar industry.

Peace has largely held since the 2 November agreement between Ethiopia’s federal government and the northern Tigray region, brokered by the African Union and sealed in the South African capital Pretoria, which ended two years of war. But domestic stakeholders and international partners are looking on nervously as violence has flared up elsewhere, pointing to the fragility of communal relations in a diverse country with a population estimated at 123m.

Amid considerable difficulties, a series of financial and trade agreements are underpinning the government’s hopes for economic recovery following the recent end of devastating conflict with Tigray rebels. Liberalising reforms may encourage more private investment in the power, agriculture and other sectors, while the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam’s construction continues apace, but with debts weighing heavy and peace still fragile Ethiopia’s challenges remain daunting.

Green hydrogen (GH2) pioneer CWP Global’s proposed project in Djibouti – with a possible extension into Ethiopia – highlights the Horn of Africa’s potential to become one of the continent’s future fuel hotspots, alongside Egypt, the Atlantic north-west running from Morocco to Mauritania, and the south-west margin from Namibia to South Africa.

Analysis of the African Energy Live Data platform shows installed electricity generation capacity in East Africa is set to be boosted by nearly 15GW, as mega-hydroelectric projects finally come to fruition and renewables gain pace over the next five years. The project pipeline could grow even more quickly if the ambitious goals set out by Kenya and other governments are achieved.

Global Alliance for People and Planet and the Norwegian government have pledged more funding to support the development of solar power in Sahel countries.

Reports in the Kenyan press say Kenya Power (KPLC)’s deal for hydroelectric power imports with Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) cannot be renegotiated for five years.

The Ministry of Mines and Petroleum has terminated a contract with China’s Poly-GCL Petroleum Group Holding (Poly-GCL), citing a lack of progress in developing the Calub and Hilala gas fields and its failure to meet conditions set the government earlier this year.

Japan’s pledge to invest some $30bn in Africa over the next three years has underlined the Asian economic giant’s commitment to rapidly advance its relations, as well as to expand its presence, on a continent where Tokyo’s involvement has too often lagged behind other big nations.

Governments are assessing their positions over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (Gerd) project, after the dam’s third filling was completed, despite an escalation of rhetoric from Egypt and Sudan as the downstream nations continue to complain at a threat to their dependency on Blue Nile waters for irrigation and basic water supply.

The Ministry of Finance on 19 August invited investors to submit expressions of interest (EoIs) for the acquisition of up to 100% interest in eight state-owned enterprises (SOE) operating in the sugar industry.

Production testing has started at four recently-drilled geothermal wells at Aluto-Langano, south of Addis Ababa, power utility Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) has said. The testing is scheduled to take three months.

The African Development Bank (AfDB) and its partners are planning to create what they call the world’s largest mini-grid market in Nigeria, using the new Leveraging Energy Access Finance (Leaf) financing model to support the Rural Electrification Agency (REA)’s Nigeria Electrification Programme (NEP).

China’s Sepco III Electric Power Construction Corporation  and Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation have signed the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for the 50MW first phase of Ethiopia’ Tulu Moye geothermal project. The signing – which follows a tender launched in November 2020 – is a significant milestone  as the project pushes to agree a financing package with lenders.

The World Bank Group board has approved a $55m loan financing for Electricité de Djibouti’s portion of a new interconnection with Ethiopia, in a project also supported by the African Development Bank, as Djibouti tackles the infrastructure demands of the port city’s accelerated growth. Djibouti is also looking to raise its renewables generation, with wind, geothermal and other projects moving ahead after delays