Cape Town, 18th June 2025 – RES4Africa Foundation, in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), successfully hosted the 4th Development Partners Forum (DPF) yesterday, 17th June 2025. The event, held at the Nedbank Clocktower in Cape Town on the sidelines of the Africa Energy Forum 2025, brought together a wide range of stakeholders to explore how to unlock private sector investment in Africa’s transmission infrastructure.

Launched in 2022 by RES4Africa and IFC, the Development Partners Forum fosters dialogue among development partners, public institutions, and private investors on transmission investments in Africa. It aims to share actionable insights and best practices, and promote enabling environments for increased private sector participation in transmission networks across the continent.

Building on the outcomes of the previous three sessions, this year’s edition shifted the focus from lessons learned to practical engagement and collaboration tools. The event opened with welcoming remarks from Jan Dewulf (IFC) and Marianna Petrosillo (RES4Africa), followed by a fireside chat between Devesh Singh (IFC), Shaakira Karolia (South Africa’s Ministry of Electricity and Energy), and Chris Flavin (Gridworks) on the evolving landscape of transmission investment. The speakers explored their daily work in transmission project development, the exploration of new business models, hurdles in transmission development and risk mitigation strategies, and policy shifts that are reshaping the transmission sector and creating space for greater private involvement.

A key innovation of this year’s forum was the debut of the Game of Power and Lines, a dynamic simulation game developed to engage participants in the complexities of transmission investment planning. The interactive session tasked attendees with designing and justifying fictional transmission expansion strategies within a constrained, competitive environment. The session encouraged systems thinking, collaboration, and practical problem-solving, highlighting real-world trade-offs and investment challenges.

RES4Africa and IFC extend their appreciation to all speakers and participants for their contributions to a productive and energising session.