Germany and Mozambique: A strong partnership to scale up energy access

Germany Development Cooperation has historically played an important role in promoting energy access in the country. With a portfolio of approximately 175 million euros, Germany is among the top five donors in the energy sector. Energy has become a focal area of cooperation, with a wide spectrum of projects being supported, ranging from on-grid renewable energy and off-grid solutions to transmission, distribution and grid densification.

A flagship programme of the German energy portfolio in Mozambique is the multi-donor initiative Energising Development (EnDev), supported by Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland and the European Union and implemented by GIZ. To date, EnDev and its partners have connected over a million people in Mozambique to clean energy. Together with Green People’s Energy, GET.invest and GET.transform, the portfolio offers a comprehensive and ambitious support package for actors in the renewable energy sector. In the area of financial cooperation, Germany has recently committed an additional 13.48 million euros for the off-grid window of the GET FiT programme, implemented by KfW, a vehicle to de-risk private investments into on- and off-grid renewable energy projects. These projects are excellent examples of the synergies between programmes supported by multiple European donors, in close partnership with the Mozambican public and private sector, as well as Mozambican industry associations.

German cooperation is driven by the belief that only a market that allows competition and involvement of an innovative private sector will present reliable, sustainable and affordable energy solutions to all Mozambicans, in line with the Mozambican Government. Together with a transparent regulatory framework that considers the latest technological developments and the local context, we can achieve scalable solutions and universal access. It is therefore with hope that we look forward to the new Electricity Law, which, alongside the National Energy Strategy, must carefully balance public and private interests.

Today, only 38% of Mozambicans have access to electricity. This is a challenge, but also a remarkable opportunity for companies and investors. With an abundant potential for renewables like solar and wind power, biomass and geothermal energy, we can connect millions that are currently without access.

The commitment to guaranteeing access to energy for all Mozambicans by 2030 is also a commitment to the country’s economic and social development. We are proud to work side-by-side with the European Union and the Government of Mozambique in this important task.

 

Lothar Freischlader

German Ambassador to Mozambique