APRA Meeting, Denmark – Hon. Kandeh Yumkella Affirms the Importance of Building Institutions Beyond Personalities

The two-day meeting brought together the four founding countries — Denmark, Germany, Kenya, and Sierra Leone — alongside the Abu Dhabi–based International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) and the APRA Implementation Office hosted by United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Nairobi, Kenya.

Discussions reaffirmed APRA’s central vision since its inception: promoting a holistic approach to energy transitions, ensuring strong political leadership, and mobilizing finance and commitments from both public and private sector actors. The meeting also reviewed the governance structure, advanced the development of a mid-term strategy and work plan for 2026, and clarified the respective roles of the APRA Secretariat hosted by IRENA and the Implementation Office hosted by UNOPS.

Speaking on behalf of Sierra Leone, Hon. Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Chairman of the Presidential Initiative on Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Food Security (PI-CREF) emphasized the importance of building institutions that endure beyond their founders. “We must build strong institutions that serve the greater good of humanity,” he stated. In the case of APRA, he reminded colleagues that the initiative represents a critical platform for African countries seeking to accelerate renewable energy deployment in pursuit of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7). Further strengthening APRA’s institutional arrangements while ensuring maximum efficiency, the meeting confirmed the appointment of two co-chairs for the Steering Committee, to be led by Kenya and Denmark

Drawing on his experience establishing global institutions, Dr. Yumkella reflected on the founding of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), as well as two global forums — the Vienna Energy and Climate Forum (formerly the Vienna Energy Forum) and the SEforALL Forum in Austria. He stressed that APRA must similarly transcend individual leadership. “We will not all be here forever; at some point, we will all move on,” he noted. Today, after a decade, SEforALL and the two global forums continue as distinct entities, fulfilling the mandates for which they were created.

As part of their commitment to APRA, both Germany and Denmark have significantly scaled up financial support for renewable energy projects across Africa through established multilateral mechanisms, including the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) at the African Development Bank and the Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) at the World Bank.

In Sierra Leone specifically, in 2025, Denmark approved €3 million in 2025 to support mini-grid development under the EU-funded SOGREA programme. In addition, the German Government committed €6 million to Rural Development through Renewable Energy programme, with a special focus on strengthening women-led enterprises.

Hon. Yumkella was accompanied to Copenhagen by PI-CREF’s Director of Partnerships, Communications and Outreach, Mr. Anthony Kamara, who is Sierra Leone Country Focal Point for APRA.