Minister Fast welcomes Canadian company’s donation to light lives of African children
June 24, 2014 - Cape Town, South Africa - Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
Minister Fast and Robert Davies, South Africa’s Minister of Trade and Industry, with SkyPower officials and South African children holding new solar lights.
The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade, today welcomed the announcement by SkyPower Global that the company is donating 5,000 solar-powered lights to South African villages without electricity so children can have light for reading and writing.
The announcement was made during Minister Fast’s trade mission to South Africa. In its 2010 Integrated Resource Plan, South Africa identified the need for more power generation from renewable sources to meet its growing energy needs and also to reduce greenhouse gases. Canadian renewable energy companies, including SkyPower, are accompanying Minister Fast on the trade mission.
Minister Fast’s 10-day trade mission to four countries (Burkina Faso from June 18 to 19; Madagascar from June 20 to 21; South Africa from June 22 to 25; and Tanzania from June 25 to 27) is focusing on the extractive sector and renewable energy and power, priority sectors identified under the Global Markets Action Plan. Sector-focused trade missions are part of the Government of Canada’s pro-trade plan to support Canadian businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, as they explore opportunities and penetrate new markets for their products and services.
"Raising awareness of Canadian expertise and technology, and sharing our know-how and best practices, helps our companies succeed in today’s competitive global economy while creating jobs and opportunities at home. SkyPower’s solar-powered lights initiative is a good example of Canadian companies helping children and their families in South Africa."
-Kerry Adler, President and Chief Executive Officer, SkyPower
Shannon Gutoskie
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Ed Fast
Minister of International Trade
613-992-7332
Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada
343-203-7700
media@international.gc.ca
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