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The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 January 2025.

• Minister for Africa Lord Collins announces support to extend electricity access to millions across Africa.
• New deal between British International Investment and UK cleantech company MOPO will connect over a million people across the DRC to renewable energy sources, delivering on the Plan for Change by unleashing the power of British technological innovation.
• UK partnership with the African Development Bank will also channel private sector capital into African clean energy.

Millions more people across Africa will have access to clean power thanks to UK investment, Africa Minister Lord Collins has announced.

This comes as UK Special Representative for Climate Rachel Kyte attends the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit today [27 January] in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania.

The UK is one of the largest investors in clean energy in Africa and is working in partnership to support the Mission 300 initiative, which aims to expand electricity access to 300 million people in Africa by 2030. Half of Africa’s population – 600 million people – lack vital access to electricity.

Lord Collins is announcing a £5.3 million new deal between British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution, and UK cleantech firm MOPO.

This investment will enable MOPO to expand its pay-per-use battery rental operations in the DRC where over 80% of the population lack access to electricity. It demonstrates how UK companies are unlocking new opportunities for growth and positive impact that the clean energy transition has to offer in the UK and beyond.

Lord Collins will also announce new UK support of £8.5 million towards the African Development Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA) to build on existing efforts between the UK and African partners to connect millions of people across the continent with clean, reliable power.

Today’s announcement will unlock private sector investment in renewable energy projects including clean cooking and energy efficiency.

The support, which will be delivered as part of the UK’s Africa Regional Climate and Nature Programme (ARCAN), will accelerate renewable energy adoption and improve energy efficiency, developing solar-powered mini-grids in rural communities and providing technical assistance for large-scale renewable energy projects.

Minister for Africa Lord Collins of Highbury said:

The UK has set a landmark goal to be the first major economy to deliver clean power by 2030, and through our Plan for Change we’ll harness technology to transform the UK into a clean energy superpower. We want to leverage this ambition with our African partners to power green growth, eradicate poverty and tackle climate change.

Connecting the continent to clean, reliable energy is vital, and UK support is helping ensure millions are getting the access they need to prosper through planet-friendly solutions. This will also allow us to deepen our partnerships across Africa, sharing expertise, finance and innovation.

These announcements from Lord Collins show how the UK Government is delivering on the Plan for Change, which will transform the UK into a clean energy superpower, cutting bills and guaranteeing our energy independence, while championing clean technology innovation overseas  and generating opportunities for investment and jobs in British businesses.

Speaking at the summit, the UK’s Special Representative on Climate, Rachel Kyte, said:

Reliable, affordable and clean energy is the cornerstone of economic growth and development. Clean energy, through modern grids and distributed renewable energy offers an opportunity for inclusive growth. Helping end energy poverty supports growth, builds resilience and puts countries on a pathway that helps our common challenge of fighting climate change.  The UK is working with partners across Africa to connect millions of people in the region with cleaner and more efficient power. That is why I’m pleased to be at this summit, supporting Mission 300 and reaffirming our commitment to our shared sustainable development goals especially in Africa.

At the summit, the UK’s Special Representative for Climate will set out how the UK is deepening our partnerships with African nations and multilateral institutions to fuel the clean energy revolution and stimulate growth whilst tackling the climate emergency.

Leslie Maasdorp, BII CEO said:

At BII we want to use our distinctive position, and track record, to create more early-stage solutions that help expand access to energy for more Africans. This is demonstrated through our investment in MOPO, which is expected to reach over a million people in DRC where energy access is limited.

More broadly, we welcome the partnership of African governments, as well as other institutions like the African Development Bank, in making that ambition a reality.

Today’s announcements at the Dar Es Salaam summit also reinforce the long-standing UK-Tanzania partnership.

Tanzania was one of the first countries to sign up to the first mission of the UK’s Global Clean Power Alliance. The two countries are working together to boost the global clean energy transition, whilst furthering trade opportunities that will create jobs and deliver economic growth.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 January 2025.

• Foreign Secretary will co-host a reception with the Embassy of Israel in the Foreign Office today
• David Lammy will meet Holocaust survivor Janine Webber, who survived Nazi persecution in occupied Poland
• senior UK delegation including HMTK will join world leaders at Auschwitz-Birkenau commemoration ceremony in Poland

The Foreign Secretary will today co-host a reception with Her Excellency the Ambassador of Israel to the United Kingdom to mark Holocaust Memorial Day and the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp.

Prior to the commemoration, the Foreign Secretary will meet Holocaust survivor Janine Webber BEM, who survived the Holocaust as child in occupied Poland, enduring the tragic loss of her parents and brother at the hands of the Nazis.

The commemoration will showcase innovative approaches to Holocaust education. These include Testimony 360, a virtual reality programme preserving survivor testimonies for future generations, and ‘In Their Footsteps’, a powerful exhibition featuring 3D-printed shoes that symbolise Holocaust remembrance.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy is expected to say:

‘Never again’ is a solemn promise, which we owe to the victims, but also which we must uphold for our own sake and for the sake of future generations.

We need Holocaust remembrance. Holocaust education. Action against antisemitism.

It is how we build a better future for all.

A high-level UK delegation, including senior government officials, His Majesty The King and Holocaust survivors, will join world leaders today at the Auschwitz-Birkenau commemoration ceremony in Poland.

As part of the UK’s commitment to Holocaust remembrance, the Prime Minister pledged at least £2.2 million in September to continue to fund the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Lessons from Auschwitz project, enabling UK students to visit Auschwitz and learn about the history of the Holocaust.

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 27 January 2025.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy spoke with United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio today.

The Foreign Secretary congratulated Secretary Rubio on his appointment as Secretary of State and the pair discussed their shared links to the Caribbean, with the Foreign Secretary’s family ties to Guyana and Secretary Rubio’s family links to Cuba.

They both welcomed the opportunity for the UK and the US to work together in alignment to address shared challenges including the situation in the Middle East, Russia’s illegal war in Ukraine, the challenges posed by China and the need for Indo-Pacific security.

The pair said they looked forward to working together and to meeting in person soon.