Electrify Africa Act could have transformative impact on global fight against extreme poverty

WASHINGTON – The ONE Campaign today applauded the introduction of the Electrify Africa Act of 2015 by U.S. Representatives Ed Royce (R-CA-39), Eliot Engel (D-NY-16), Chris Smith (R-NJ-4) and Karen Bass (D-CA-37). The bill would help sub-Saharan African countries modernize their power infrastructure and increase their access to electricity — saving lives, strengthening education, alleviating extreme poverty, and accelerating growth and development — without adding to America’s federal budget deficit.

Tom Hart, ONE’s U.S. Executive Director, said:

“This has the potential to be a huge moment in the fight against extreme poverty.

“This bill could bring first-time electricity access to 50 million people, helping power schools, hospitals, factories, farms, and businesses in underserved parts of Africa. The Electrify Africa Act could bring us one significant step closer in our fight to end extreme poverty.

“In sub-Saharan Africa, seven in 10 people do not have access to electricity, forcing many women to give birth in under-equipped hospitals, and putting children’s vaccines that require refrigeration at risk. The lack of electricity also forces families to cook meals over open flames and students to study beside kerosene lamps, filling their homes with toxic fumes.

“The ONE Campaign, along with its advocates and supporters across the country and around the world, has fought tirelessly for this bill over the last two years, and we applaud Representatives Royce, Engel, Smith, and Bass for taking this important step. The Electrify Africa Act could be a catalyst for so many living in extreme poverty to build better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities.”

The Electrify Africa Act will prioritize and coordinate U.S. government resources, requiring the Administration to develop a comprehensive and multi-year strategy to meet three goals regarding the installation, accessibility, and efficacy of electricity in underserved areas in Africa by 2020.