Akon Speaks On His Goal To Bring Solar Power To 600 Million People In Africa At Re-Energizing The Future Conference In Paris (Video)

Video After The Jump

Akon is hard at work on a project that will bring solar power to 600 million Africans. His "Akon Lighting Africa" initiative will use a billion dollars in funding to take "clean energy" to 38 countries by the year 2020.

"This idea initiated in Senegal in returning to neighborhoods where I grew up," he says. "Fifteen years later, we're still without power. The infrastructure had not moved. They came to us and asked us to find solutions to the energy crisis."

Launched in September in Bamako, the first step aims to create 100,000 streetlights, 1,000 and 200,000 micro-power home systems using solar energy, to improve the living conditions of 14 countries including Niger, Namibia and Madagascar. The program will then be extended into other territories. It should allow the creation of "several thousand local jobs" primarily intended for young people, for installation or maintenance of the equipment.

On Sunday, December 6, the singer spoke at the International Re-Energizing the Future conference in Paris, France about his goals. Check out the video below.

Renewable are as disruptive for energy industry as digital was for music industry - strong but positive change! pic.twitter.com/jGroK4M70R
— Akon Lighting Africa (@AkonLighting) December 7, 2015