81 FR 78697 - Advancing the Goals of the Power Africa Initiative to Expand Access to Electricity in Sub- Saharan Africa Through the Establishment of the President's Power Africa Working Group

Executive Office of the President

Federal Register Volume 81, Issue 216 (November 8, 2016)

[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 216 (Tuesday, November 8, 2016)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 78697-78700]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2016-27156]



[[Page 78695]]

Vol. 81

Tuesday,

No. 216

November 8, 2016

Part III





The President





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Executive Order 13746--Advancing the Goals of the Power Africa 
Initiative to Expand Access to Electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa 
Through the Establishment of the President's Power Africa Working Group


                        Presidential Documents 



Federal Register / Vol. 81 , No. 216 / Tuesday, November 8, 2016 / 
Presidential Documents

___________________________________________________________________

Title 3--
The President

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                Executive Order 13746 of November 3, 2016

                
Advancing the Goals of the Power Africa 
                Initiative to Expand Access to Electricity in Sub-
                Saharan Africa Through the Establishment of the 
                President's Power Africa Working Group

                By the authority vested in me as President by the 
                Constitution and the laws of the United States of 
                America, it is hereby ordered as follows:

                Section 1. Policy. It is the policy of the United 
                States to partner, consult, and coordinate with African 
                governments, bilateral and multilateral partners, the 
                private sector, and civil society to expand access to 
                electricity and increase electricity generation in Sub-
                Saharan Africa, in both urban and rural areas. Through 
                the Power Africa initiative (Power Africa), we aim to 
                double access to power in Sub-Saharan Africa by adding 
                30,000 megawatts (MW) of capacity and 60 million new 
                household and business connections by 2030, and in so 
                doing, leapfrog to cleaner forms of energy and foster 
                inclusive economic growth and opportunity across Sub-
                Saharan Africa.

                On June 30, 2013, my Administration launched Power 
                Africa, a new initiative to double access to power in 
                Sub-Saharan Africa, where more than two-thirds of the 
                population is without electricity, and more than 85 
                percent of those living in rural areas lack access to 
                electricity. In its initial phase, Power Africa aimed 
                to add more than 10,000 MW of cleaner, more efficient 
                electricity generation capacity and to increase 
                electricity access by at least 20 million new 
                households and commercial entities with on-grid, mini-
                grid, and off-grid solutions. Power Africa builds on 
                Africa's enormous power potential, including extensive 
                clean geothermal, hydro, wind and solar energy 
                resources, as well as vast oil and gas reserves. Power 
                Africa works with countries to develop resources 
                responsibly, build out power generation, transmission, 
                and distribution, and expand the reach of mini-grid and 
                off-grid solutions. Power Africa brings to bear a wide 
                range of tools from across the Federal Government and 
                more than 130 public and private sector partners to 
                support investment in Africa's energy sector. Power 
                Africa provides coordinated support to help African 
                partners expand their power networks and access to 
                electricity, including through policy and regulatory 
                best practices, institutional capacity building, pre-
                feasibility support, grants, long-term financing, 
                insurance, guarantees, credit enhancements, and 
                technical assistance.

                On August 5, 2014, during the U.S.-Africa Leaders 
                Summit, my Administration affirmed that Power Africa is 
                intended to reach across Sub-Saharan Africa, and 
                tripled Power Africa's goals. Power Africa is now 
                working toward adding 30,000 MW of new, cleaner 
                electricity generation capacity and increasing 
                electricity access by at least 60 million new 
                connections. On January 28, 2016, my Administration, in 
                coordination with Power Africa partners, launched the 
                Power Africa Roadmap, which lays out a concrete plan 
                for Power Africa to meet its ambitious goals by 2030.

                The Electrify Africa Act of 2015, enacted on February 
                8, 2016 (Public Law 114-121) (the ``Act''), calls for 
                the development of a strategy to add at least 20,000 MW 
                of electrical power and promote first-time access to 
                power and power services for at least 50 million people 
                in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2020 in both urban and rural 
                areas--an effort that directly supports and complements 
                Power Africa's goals. This order furthers the purposes 
                of the Act and the work that Power Africa has been 
                undertaking.

[[Page 78698]]

                Sec. 2. Establishment of the Coordinator for Power 
                Africa. The United States Agency for International 
                Development (USAID) shall serve as the lead agency to 
                facilitate the implementation of Power Africa and 
                associated activities across the United States 
                Government. The Administrator of USAID shall establish 
                the position of Coordinator for Power Africa within 
                USAID.

                Sec. 3. Power Africa Working Group. (a) There is hereby 
                established the Power Africa Working Group (Working 
                Group), co-chaired by the Coordinator for Power Africa 
                within USAID and a member of the National Security 
                Council (NSC) staff to be designated by the Assistant 
                to the President for National Security Affairs. The 
                Working Group shall serve as the multi-agency 
                coordinating and advisory body for the Federal 
                Government's efforts to identify, evaluate, prioritize, 
                and deliver assistance to energy projects across Sub-
                Saharan Africa in order to advance the energy access 
                and electricity generation goals of Power Africa and 
                promote policy cohesion across the Federal Government. 
                Through the Working Group, participating departments 
                and agencies shall provide advice and promote coherence 
                of United States Government positions on and assistance 
                for priority energy projects and policy reforms in 
                support of Power Africa.

                    (b) The Working Group shall consist of 
                representatives of the following executive branch 
                departments and agencies (Participating Agencies):

(i) the Department of State;

(ii) the Department of the Treasury;

(iii) the Department of Agriculture;

(iv) the Department of Commerce;

(v) the Department of Energy;

(vi) the Export-Import Bank of the United States;

(vii) the United States Agency for International Development;

(viii) the Overseas Private Investment Corporation;

(ix) the United States Trade and Development Agency;

(x) the Millennium Challenge Corporation;

(xi) the United States Army Corps of Engineers;

(xii) the Office of Management and Budget; and

(xiii) such other agencies as the Co-Chairs may designate or invite to 
participate, including the United States African Development Foundation.

                    (c) The Working Group may consult with non-United 
                States Government entities that participate in Power 
                Africa as bilateral, multilateral, private sector 
                partners and nongovernmental organizations to provide 
                input and advice to the United States Government, as 
                appropriate, regarding the implementation of Power 
                Africa.
                    (d) The Working Group may establish sub-groups 
                consisting exclusively of Working Group members or 
                their designees, as appropriate, such as one for each 
                of the three pillars of the Power Africa Roadmap: (1) 
                megawatts, (2) connections, and (3) unlocking energy 
                sector potential.
                    (e) The Working Group shall be supported by the 
                Office of the Coordinator for Power Africa within 
                USAID.

                Sec. 4. Mission and Functions of the Working Group. The 
                Working Group, as may be necessary and appropriate to 
                carry out this order, shall:

                    (a) Ensure efficient and effective coordination of 
                energy access activities in Sub-Saharan Africa among 
                Participating Agencies.
                    (b) Identify, prioritize, and evaluate potential 
                Power Africa projects, regulatory and policy reforms, 
                and programmatic focus areas, including maximizing 
                deployment of and access to renewable energy.
                    (c) Identify country and project specific obstacles 
                to the development of the electricity sector, including 
                financial and technical assistance needs

[[Page 78699]]

                and capacity building needs, and identify opportunities 
                for Participating Agencies to deploy their respective 
                tools and best practices to advance needed reforms and 
                accelerate the completion of Power Africa projects.
                    (d) Enhance coordination among Participating 
                Agencies to maximize the efficiency and effectiveness 
                of United States Government development assistance and 
                other development finance tools as related to Power 
                Africa priorities.
                    (e) Facilitate information sharing and coordination 
                of partnerships between Participating Agencies and 
                African governments, the private sector, development 
                partners, and bilateral and multilateral partners to 
                help advance Power Africa's goals.
                    (f) Identify appropriate courses of action to 
                liaise with host governments to advance regulatory and 
                policy reforms, as well as energy transactions, related 
                to Power Africa.
                    (g) Identify best practices for Participating 
                Agencies to coordinate their engagement with 
                development partners, including bilateral donors, 
                development finance institutions, and multilateral 
                development banks on energy access issues, to ensure 
                that Power Africa's tools are deployed in a way that is 
                complementary to and leverages the impact of United 
                States Government resources.
                    (h) Meet with private sector partners, as 
                appropriate, to review Power Africa projects and 
                activities, and to solicit input regarding technical, 
                policy, financial or political, obstacles that partners 
                are encountering in the energy sector across Sub-
                Saharan Africa.
                    (i) Meet with bilateral and multilateral 
                development partners, as appropriate, to coordinate 
                country-specific and regional energy access policy 
                agendas, coordinate deployment of financial resources 
                and technical expertise to identify and accelerate 
                Power Africa projects and activities, and review 
                project pipelines.
                    (j) Monitor and periodically evaluate Power Africa 
                projects and activities to measure the effectiveness of 
                United States Government assistance and other 
                development finance tools in achieving Power Africa's 
                electricity generation and access goals, and to share 
                lessons learned. These evaluations may recommend 
                reforms to facilitate support for future projects and 
                activities, and to increase the Working Group's 
                effectiveness.

                Sec. 5. Partnering with African Private Sector 
                Companies. I hereby direct Participating Agencies to 
                facilitate as appropriate, to the maximum extent 
                possible under the law, the participation of local and 
                regional companies in power, renewable energy, and 
                climate change projects in low-income countries in 
                Africa, including through the use of financing and risk 
                insurance, where appropriate.

                Sec. 6. Reporting. The Administrator of USAID, in 
                coordination with the Participating Agencies, shall 
                lead in the development of a report, to be transmitted 
                to the Congress pursuant to section 7 of the Act and 
                the Presidential Memorandum of August 3, 2016, 
                ``Delegation of Authority Pursuant to Section 4 and 
                Section 7 of the Electrify Africa Act of 2015,'' on 
                progress made toward achieving the comprehensive, 
                integrated, multiyear strategy that was transmitted to 
                the Congress on August 6, 2016, pursuant to section 4 
                of the Act, to encourage the efforts of countries in 
                Sub-Saharan Africa to implement national power 
                strategies and develop an appropriate mix of power 
                solutions to provide access to sufficient, reliable, 
                affordable, and sustainable power in order to reduce 
                poverty and drive economic growth and job creation.

                Sec. 7. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order 
                shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the 
head thereof, or the status of that department or agency within the Federal 
Government; or

[[Page 78700]]

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget 
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

                    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with 
                applicable law and subject to the availability of 
                appropriations.
                    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not, 
                create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, 
                enforceable at law or in equity by any party against 
                the United States, its departments, agencies, or 
                entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any 
                other person.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

                THE WHITE HOUSE,

                    November 3, 2016.

[FR Doc. 2016-27156
Filed 11-7-16; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F7-P