Some African countries, such as Kenya and Ethiopia, are setting a good example, said Kyte, who also serves as the UN Secretary General's special representative on energy access. "With mini-grids, micro-grids or off-grid systems, those people are reachable, and they are reachable with clean energy and they are reachable affordably," she said. Even for the poorest states or those emerging from conflict, "prioritising energy access is a real value-for-money approach to take, because lots of other things happen," she added. Kyte hopes international agencies and businesses will put in place a global action plan in the coming months to provide clean power to people forced to flee their homes. Another priority for poor nations is energy efficiency, she said, which could help avoid pollution and smog in their cities.

Source: The Star April 30, 2018 08:26 UTC