Arlington, VA – On the occasion of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), USTDA announced new funding commitments to promote the export of innovative U.S. technology in support of mitigation and adaptation priorities in emerging economies.

“Our partner countries are moving toward clean and renewable sources to meet their energy security needs, while focusing on more resilient infrastructure to manage the impacts of weather events and natural disasters,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “USTDA’s tools are designed to help mobilize capital and deploy innovative U.S. technology for our partners’ climate infrastructure priorities.”

During COP29, USTDA announced the following:

• USTDA awarded a feasibility study grant to state-owned utility Côte d’Ivoire Energies to support the implementation of a power grid emergency control system, the first of its kind in Africa. The system will increase electricity access, help mitigate and prevent blackouts and facilitate renewable energy integration into the power grid.
• The Agency awarded a feasibility study grant to Nigerian renewable energy provider GVE Projects Limited to support the deployment of solar minigrids with battery energy storage systems in up to 150 underserved communities across Nigeria. The project will focus on delivering reliable power to healthcare facilities and communities outside of Nigeria’s urban areas.
• To promote grid resilience and efficiency across sub-Saharan Africa, USTDA approved funding for a series of events, including a workshop and multiple reverse trade missions to the United States, that will connect U.S. and African industry leaders and facilitate the modernization of electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure in the region.

USTDA’s latest programming supports its Global Partnership for Climate-Smart Infrastructure. Launched in April 2021, this initiative connects U.S. industry to major clean energy and transportation infrastructure projects in emerging economies. Since the founding of the Partnership in 2021, USTDA has funded more than 100 climate-related activities to facilitate the export of U.S.-made clean energy and climate mitigation and adaptation technologies to emerging economies. This includes support for critical minerals projects that strengthen clean energy supply chains.

The Agency’s funding commitments will leverage U.S. manufacturing and clean energy investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Inflation Reduction Act and the CHIPS and Science Act, to support U.S. jobs through the deployment of world-leading U.S. innovation to emerging economies around the world.

The new activities announced during COP29 advance key U.S. foreign policy priorities including Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, which is delivering game-changing projects to close the infrastructure gap in developing countries; Prosper Africa; the U.S. Strategy Toward Sub-Saharan Africa; the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity; and the President’s Emergency Plan for Adaptation and Resilience initiative.

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The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority infrastructure projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.

MEDIA INQUIRIES: Paul Marin | press@ustda.gov