The Powering Africa Summit opened in Washington, DC, with a unified call for a shift from discussion to deployment, as stakeholders emphasized commercially viable projects and deeper US-Africa investment ties to drive the continent’s energy transformation.
Summit sponsor Sun Africa led the charge, with CEO Adam Cortese framing energy as essential infrastructure for industrial growth and transatlantic partnership. He stressed that future projects must be “bankable” and built on mutual, long-term benefits rather than short-term policy. Cortese highlighted existing collaborations, describing them as “arteries of progress” that deliver electricity, power industry, and support transport. He announced a new initiative in Liberia combining up to 500 megawatts of solar power, 200 megawatt hours of battery storage, and mining-sector infrastructure, linking it directly to securing critical mineral supply chains for US industry.
Government leaders echoed the focus on execution and economic impact. Uganda’s Minister of Energy & Mineral Development, Ruth Ssentamu, stated that eliminating energy poverty is foundational to economic transformation but warned that access alone is insufficient. “Productive use of electricity must drive genuine socioeconomic development,” she said, urging a move “away from power points to power points”—a shift from presentations to tangible delivery.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Minister of State for Hydrocarbons, Acacia Mbongo, positioned her country at the center of the global energy transition, citing its resources in oil, gas, and critical minerals. She invited US investment into exploration, gas development, and mineral value chains, calling for strategic cooperation.
Financial commitment was underscored by John Jovanovic, president & chairman of the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM). He noted EXIM’s expanded presence across Sub-Saharan Africa and a doubling of financing to the continent, framing energy and resilient supply chains as foundational to both national and household prosperity.
Across the opening remarks, a consistent message emerged: the US-Africa energy partnership is advancing into a more commercial, project-driven phase. The priority is no longer dialogue but the delivery of scalable, financially sound infrastructure that supports industrialization, mineral development, and sustainable growth on both continents.
