Officials from nine African countries, including Burundi, convened Feb. 10–12 in Nairobi for the ASCENT Carbon Days 2026 forum, a regional meeting focused on expanding clean-energy access and helping countries tap carbon markets to finance development.
The event, organized by the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa and the World Bank, brought together climate, energy and digital-technology focal points from Burundi, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia and Madagascar. The meeting was held under the theme of accelerating sustainable energy access while harnessing carbon-market opportunities.
Opening the forum, COMESA infrastructure director Dr. Bernard Dzawanda said the program is designed to transform how countries fund energy expansion.
“Carbon market development under ASCENT is not simply about financing, it is about creating a predictable and transparent framework that allows emission reductions from renewable energy and clean cooking technologies that will be recognized, monetized, and traded,” he said.
He added that such a framework would help the region “harness carbon finance as a cornerstone of sustainable energy access” while positioning Eastern and Southern Africa as a global carbon-market leader.
For Burundi, participation is closely tied to national priorities to expand electricity supply, attract investment and reduce energy shortages. Regional officials say aligning national projects with internationally recognized carbon standards could allow countries to earn revenue from verified emissions reductions, strengthening financing for energy infrastructure.
ASCENT is part of a broader World Bank-backed initiative with a core investment of about $5 billion and plans to mobilize an additional $10 billion from partners and private investors to expand energy access across more than 20 countries.
The program’s regional platform is also designed to provide technical assistance, policy support and digital monitoring systems that can help participating countries prepare projects and attract investors.
Those elements are particularly significant for smaller economies such as Burundi, where infrastructure funding gaps have historically slowed electrification. By pooling projects regionally and standardizing reporting through digital systems, participating countries can aggregate carbon credits and access international markets more easily.
World Bank officials say regional cooperation is essential for scaling up energy access and ensuring projects reach implementation stage.
“This week offers a valuable moment to consider how your country specific ASCENT projects can effectively leverage carbon finance to scale up energy access while advancing your national climate priorities,” World Bank regional infrastructure director Eric Fernstrom said during the opening session.
Analysts say that for Burundi, this approach could mean new financing sources beyond traditional aid, improved investor confidence through standardized verification systems, faster rollout of renewable-energy projects and increased electrification for households and businesses.
The ASCENT program is intended to deliver electricity access to millions of people while mobilizing private capital through coordinated regional planning and digital monitoring tools.
Development officials argue that access to reliable energy is central to economic growth and poverty reduction. In earlier ASCENT discussions, Dzawanda said reliable, affordable energy is “fundamental not only for economic growth but also for poverty alleviation and environmental sustainability.”
Regional policymakers say carbon markets could become a key financing pillar because each verified carbon credit represents a measurable emissions reduction that can be sold internationally to companies or governments seeking to offset emissions.
Outlook for Burundi
While the Nairobi forum did not announce specific country funding packages, it is intended to accelerate project preparation, align national policies with carbon-market standards and help governments move faster from planning to implementation.
If those mechanisms function as intended, analysts say Burundi could benefit through expanded electrification, new climate-finance inflows and stronger integration into regional energy systems factors considered critical for economic development and industrial growth.
The meeting’s broader goal, organizers said, is to ensure participating countries can transform climate commitments into practical investments that deliver reliable electricity and measurable economic benefits.
