LIVE: UK's Lammy delivers Global Partnerships Conference closing speech

Sherbro Island achieves 94% power reliability

A hybrid installation of five 35-meter wind turbines, solar arrays, and battery storage delivers 94% reliable energy year-round, reaching 100% during summer months on Sherbro Island, Sierra Leone.

Systems lens replaces asset-only thinking

Octopus Energy applies a comprehensive approach emphasizing grid connectivity and distribution infrastructure rather than isolated generation assets like standalone solar farms.

Electrification enables cold storage economy

Reliable power is spawning new businesses including refrigerated fish storage and the Bondwe women's association ice business, allowing fisherfolk to avoid fire-sale pricing and access wider markets.

$450 million G20 institutional capital raise

Octopus Energy, partnering with Global Citizen, is raising $450 million to replicate the Sherbro model across Southern Africa starting with projects that prioritize locally-designed systems.

African-led business coalition scales access

Nine companies including Octopus (the sole British firm) pledged through the Scaling Up Renewables in Africa campaign to provide clean energy access to 17.5 million people within five years.

Renewables undercut diesel on cost and reliability

Decentralized wind-solar-battery systems can deliver power at approximately 10 cents per kilowatt hour while maintaining up to 98% uptime, outperforming fossil fuel alternatives.

End of 1997-style paternalistic aid

Lammy declared the old donor-controlled model obsolete, advocating for partnerships where Global South countries set agendas, co-design solutions, and determine how development resources are used.

Three pillars of reform endorsed by UK

The government committed to supporting country-owned development platforms, adopting whole-society feminist approaches, and building fiscal sovereignty rather than aid dependency.

Illicit flows drain trillions from development

Lammy identified combating the $800 billion to $2 trillion (2-5% of global GDP) lost annually to illicit financial flows and kleptocracy as essential to funding public services and renewable infrastructure.