Africa

Rethinking Africa's Solar Market

Friday, December 1, 2006
A sea change is needed to get solar power widely distributed in Africa. An article by a solar expert in Kenya, from World Rivers Review, December 2006. Mark Hankins I was struck recently by an industry graph showing global demand growth for solar photovoltaics (PV). It revealed sharply rising sales in Europe, America, Japan and China – but Africa sales didn’t even register. In the heady early days of PV market growth, Africa was an important market and there was much talk about how PV would help solve the low access to power throughout rural areas of the continent. Today, Africa does no

African Dams Briefing & Map

The African Dams Briefing is compiled by International Rivers’ Africa Program. The briefing is a working document meant to provide a basic synopsis of known, planned dams in Africa, including rehabilitation and expansion efforts. The information in this briefing is not comprehensive. An updated briefing is provided periodically as resources permit. Download the 2015 Africa dams briefing (PDF 1.1MB) Download the Map of Proposed African Dams (PDF 1.3MB) Download the Map Index (PDF 73KB) Click on the projects below for the exact location of proposed or rehabilitated projects that have internati

WCD Process in Nigeria

Sunday, October 12, 2003
Proceedings from a public dialogue on the WCD.

Africa

This list provides information on energy and water resource management issues in Africa. These e–mails will often focus on issues related to specific dam projects, such as the Lesotho Highlands Water Project in Lesotho and the Bujagali Falls Dam in Uganda. Expect 3–4 e–mails per week.

Transparency in the Dark

Thursday, August 12, 2004
An Assessment of the Cameroonian Electricity Sector Reform In 2001, AES Corporation was the sole bidder in the sale of the Cameroonian electricity company. In accordance with the World Bank’s third structural adjustment credit project, the state–owned company was sold. Since then, consumers face regular blackouts and tariff increases and some investments have been made in new generation capacity. A new regulatory body has been set up, but it is not fully operative. With many sub–Saharan countries under similar pressure to sell their public utilities, this paper contributes to the unders

Reminding Government of WCD, Environmental Laws

Tuesday, November 15, 2005
On the 5th anniversary of the World Commission on Dams, Global Village Cameroon wrote the following open letter to the Prime Minister of Cameroon and the Ministry of Environment and Nature Protection reminding them of what is expected in the development of the Lom Pangar Dam. The letter is based on the World Commission on Dams report and the Cameroon law guiding environmental impact assessments were used. This letter was written to let the government know what we feel is not going on well with the Lom Pangar dam project and other dams programmed in Cameroon. Information concerning the EIA for

Anti–Dam Activists Target the Aluminum Industry

Wednesday, December 5, 2001
WASHINGTON, Dec 5, 2001 (Inter Press Service via COMTEX) –– An expected surge in world demand for energy–intensive aluminum products could fuel construction of environmentally ruinous dams from the Amazon to Mozambique, activists warn. Demand for cans and a host of other aluminum products is being driven by population growth and international trade. "This increased demand will create a need for new smelters, which will continue to place a very heavy burden on the world’s rivers, its atmosphere and on other resources," says Lori Pottinger, Southern Africa campaign director for the U.S.â

Damming the Zambezi for Aluminum: Proposed Dam a "Power Play" to Gain Control of Upstream Dam?

Monday, October 1, 2001
For a couple of weeks in late September, sooty plumes of black smoke billowed from the stacks of the Mozambique Aluminum (Mozal) smelter on the outskirts of the Mozambican capital, Maputo. A year after the plant opened, a cooling tower in the treatment plant corroded and gave way, spewing sulfur dioxide and toxic fluoride into the air. A company official admitted that fluoride was in fact being released, but was quick to claim, "While the black plume now issuing from the top of the treatment plant is unsightly, it is not dangerous." Anabela Lemos of the Mozambique environmental group Livaningo

Response from the World Bank on LHWP

Tuesday, November 30, 1999
The World Bank Callisto E. Madavo Vice President, Africa Region Antonio Tricarico Reform the World Bank Campaign Via Ferraironi 88/G 00172 Rome ITALY Dear Mr. Tricarico, I would like to thank you for your letter to Mr. Wolfensohn of November 19 regarding the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP). Mr. Wolfensohn has asked me to respond, and I can assure you that the World Bank’s commitment to eradicate corruption is strong and will be sustained. The list of firms that the Bank has declared ineligible to be awarded future Bank–financed contracts continues to grow, and all of these fir

NGO Letter to World Bank on Lesotho Dam

Thursday, November 5, 1998
This letter from EDF and International Rivers to the World Bank requests immediate action on urgent compensation problems at Lesotho Highlands Water Project. Mr. Jean–Louis Sarbib Vice President Africa Region The World Bank 1818 H St., NW Washington, D.C. 20433 Re: Lesotho Highlands Water Project Dear Mr. Sarbib, We are writing to you about two issues regarding the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP). The first is an urgent matter related to the compensation of project–affected people which requires immediate World Bank action. The second is to request that the World Bank undertake

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