[{"bbox": [86, 153, 399, 184], "category": "Section-header", "text": "3.5 The Intervention Logic"}, {"bbox": [96, 244, 1161, 587], "category": "Text", "text": "There is clear evidence that access to electricity is a key element to catalyse industrialization, economic growth, access to social services and job opportunities. Furthermore, deprivation of affordable electricity prevents development and progress that affects in particular the most vulnerable members of society, including women and children. Nowadays, access to energy is at the core of our society. Energy poverty condemns people to stay behind and unconnected while missing opportunities for better healthcare, education or financial services. Evidence is also clear that a sustainable access to energy contributes to building resilience to climate change effects in particular in rural areas. It allows communities to better cope with droughts, floods, pests or diseases among others. There is an urgent need to extend electricity services in particular to rural areas, as a priority also to achieve the SDGs. Overall, this means that access to energy is at the forefront of national development plans and of the external dimension of the EU Green Deal⁷, the EU-Africa Alliance for Sustainable Investments and Jobs⁸ and the most recent EU Global Gateway strategy⁹. In Uganda, over 45% of the population lack access to modern, clean and sustainable sources of electricity with women disproportionally being the most affected."}, {"bbox": [96, 604, 1160, 860], "category": "Text", "text": "Therefore, in order to level the playing field in terms of opportunities and access to services for the rural population, this action focuses on rural electrification. The action proposes a mix of centralized and decentralized solutions according to the characteristic of the targeted areas. Because their remoteness and unlikeness to be connected to the national grid in the short to medium-term, the electrification of islands in the Lake Victoria is proposed to be channelled through mini-grids. Mini-grid solutions are considered to be the most cost-effective, able not only to facilitate access for domestic consumers but also to sustain commercial and industrial activities and social services. In the mainland, on the contrary, grid extension is the low hanging fruit to increase at speed the number of people with access to sustainable and reliable electricity in the densely populated areas that are close to the grid or under its footprint."}, {"bbox": [96, 878, 1160, 1191], "category": "Text", "text": "The action will be implemented through a blending modality in order to leverage participation of additional public and private financing institutions whereby the grid extension infrastructure is supposed to be funded by a concessional loan, and the last mile connection and deployment of mini-grids will be financed by the EU grants. The private sector is expected to finance part of the capital and operational expenditure for mini-grids. The EU grant contribution will intervene as a de-risking element to attract the private sector to invest in energy decentralised solutions and to amplify the concessionality effect of loans for the grid extension. The action also allows to reinforce the policy dialogue and, in particular, the aspects related to the ongoing reform of the sector where electricity affordability is a key issue. To succeed, it is expected that the Government remains committed to the electrification of the country by signing concessional loans with development financiers, mobilising the necessary human resources and further improve the enabling environment in particular for the productive sectors (in agriculture, industry and fisheries) deemed to make use of the surplus electricity available."}, {"bbox": [86, 1557, 224, 1579], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷ COM(2019) 640"}, {"bbox": [86, 1580, 224, 1601], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁸ COM(2018) 643"}, {"bbox": [86, 1602, 1143, 1645], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁹ https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/stronger-europe-world/global-gateway_en#:~:text=The%20Global%20Gateway%20is%20the,meet%20global%20infrastructure%20development%20needs"}, {"bbox": [1027, 1681, 1142, 1705], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 13 of 21"}]