Germany plays growing role in African energy


German aid and development institutions such as the influential Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) have become increasingly prominent over the past decade: the government’s 2011 Germany and Africa strategy paper claims Germany is now the second largest development partner in Africa’s energy sector. KfW has paid particular attention to funding feasibility studies and participating in funds and mechanisms aiming to overcome financing bottlenecks as well as providing development financing to major projects such as the Bujagali hydropower scheme in Uganda, the KivuWatt methane-to-power scheme in Rwanda and the Ouarzazate solar complex in Morocco.