Power and Roads for Africa

CGD senior fellow Vijaya Ramachandran argues in this essay that the U.S can play a valuable role in helping Africa to overcome two crucial barriers to poverty reduction: lack of power and lack of roads. Africa’s road and power crisis can be solved with resources, technological know-how, and support from the U.S. government and from the American private sector. Africa has a unique opportunity to build its infrastructure by using new and clean technology. It has the opportunity to avoid many of the environmental problems that have plagued the rest of the world. Using technology that is low-carbon or carbon-free is not good just for the African people but for the whole world. The United States has an unprecedented opportunity to help Africa in its search for a high and sustainable rate of growth.