Speeches
Remarks by US Ambassador to Angola, Cynthia Efird, at the launch of the Electricity Assistance Program co-funded by Banco de Fomento Angola and USAID
Friends, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentleman,
I am very pleased to be here today to help celebrate the partnership between Banco de Fomento Angola, the Municipalities of Kilamba Kiaxi and Viana, EDEL, and the United States Agency for International Development to expand access to electricity in Kilamba Kiaxi and Viana Municipalities.
Electricity powers development in all sectors. It helps micro, small and medium businesses expand. It brings light and modern technology to schools. It runs life-saving medical equipment at hospitals and clinics. It enhances our security by energizing street lights. And, through allowing televisions and computers into our homes, it brings us the news and other information that promotes an engaged citizenry.
Access to affordable and reliable electricity is, in fact, essential to economic growth and improving the standard of living in Angola. It's clear that the Government of the Republic of Angola recognizes this. I commend the actions the Government is taking to update its strategies to improve the operation of its networks. And I applaud the massive work the Government is undertaking in collaboration with the Chinese Government to upgrade the country's energy infrastructure. I would also like to praise the approach EDEL is taking as an energy distribution company. EDEL is a distributor that is actively reaching out to its clientele; EDEL is an energy distributor that has the vision to recognize it can only be as successful as those it is serving.
The program we are announcing today seeks to ensure that the Government of Angola's efforts to improve energy infrastructure and EDEL's effort to reach out to its clientele have the maximum positive effect possible on lives of the people. It will focus on: helping people afford hook-ups, helping businesses take advantage of the new energy resource to expand and to employ more people, and helping communities use electricity to better serve social needs.
Originally, we had planned to implement the program only as a pilot in Kilamba Kiaxi. Kilamba Kiaxi is a municipality in which only one percent of the population has formal access to the city grid. A recent study by CARE found that 100 percent of the municipality's small businesses invest in alternative sources of energy in order to ensure a reliable source of power. The lack of reliable and affordable electricity is clearly a constraint to the municipality's development.
But we decided to invest in Kilamba Kiaxi not only because of the need. We also chose to invest there because of the potential. Investing in Kilamba Kiaxi allows us to build on the outstanding collaboration between DFID and Kilamba Kiaxi to improve other services in the Municipality. It also allows us to both strengthen and be strengthened by the effectiveness, and the cooperative spirit, of the widely respected and highly experienced Kilamba Kiaxi Forum.
I am happy to report that, in addition to Kilamba Kiaxi, we are now able to include Viana Municipality in the program. The expansion of the program is possible because of a generous financial contribution from Banco de Fomento Angola. As many of you know, BFA is Angola's largest private sector bank. But, just as noteworthy as its size, is its exceptionally strong commitment to the welfare of Angola's people. In 2004, Banco de Fomento Angola announced that it would dedicate five percent of its profits to social programs, every year for the following five years. This is a huge sum for any company to commit to social programs, well above the average amount that most companies are willing to divert from other corporate responsibilities. And BFA has lived up to its promise to the Angolan people. Already it is engaged with EPAL to expand the availability of potable water. It has also made post graduate study possible for a number of students at Agostinho Neto University. The U.S. Government is pleased to be able to partner with this extremely impressive bank on the electricity access activity we are announcing today.
In closing, I'd like to address the people of Kilamba Kiaxi and Viana, many of whom are here today. You are the most important factor in the entire program. It is your input that will guide us in determining our priorities; your participation that will drive the pace at which we can move forward; and your commitment to building better lives for yourselves, your children and your community that will determine the advances and ultimate success of the program. Together, I hope that we all --BFA, EDEL, the municipal government of Kilamba Kiaxi, the municipal government of Viana, and the strong people of these two Luanda municipalities-- can build a model for a more prosperous Angola
