Originally posted by DJ:
The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund has USD 365 million in its fund, what large ecologically friendly project would you fund in Africa with between US$ 10 million to US$ 36.5 million (or its equivalent in EUR) to projects?
quote:
The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (“EAIF” or the “Fund”) is a Public Private Partnership able to provide long-term USD or EUR denominated debt or mezzanine finance on commercial terms to finance the construction and development of private infrastructure in 45 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. EAIF is able to provide between US$ 10 million to US$ 36.5 million (or its equivalent in EUR) to projects across a wide range of sectors including telecoms, transport, water and power, amongst others.
Its interesting to see such funds, but are they adding to African countries national debts or are they a help there is the question.
However what would also be interesting is if charities or private fund raisers were involved in more commercial ventures in Africa using the apparent benefits of debt funds like this to fund ecological utility projects in Africa.
Electrical utilities are a great problem in major African cities, with power cuts and people having to use petrol (gas) powered generators, obviously polluting, and also the conflicts over fossil fuels in the Delta region and African corporates selling on raw unrefined product to large Western corporates, where the refined product is worth more.
Fair trade I think needs to encompass a lot more, and commercial venture filters down all the way to the ordinary person on the street, struggling to get an education, to make money to eat etc.
Large projects on a commercially viable level aren't there, I don't think water projects and the aid schemes are enough for Africa, where there are more peaceful countries and measures to tackle corruption, there perhaps should be a greater level of involvement, to make sure that African economies have a fighting chance, but also to make sure developing economies are able to utilies ecologically friends technology.
The Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund has USD 365 million in its fund, what large ecologically friendly project would you fund in Africa with between US$ 10 million to US$ 36.5 million (or its equivalent in EUR) to projects?
I would fund Solar power plants in regions that would support the commercial viability of this technology, best regions are the Sahara, perhaps Mali, Niger, profits from such a roll out of power supplies would bring jobs, infrastructure, such as schools, hospitals, police, fire fighting and road construction, rail construction etc.
Stirling Energy 
