WASHINGTON, September 3, 2015— The World Bank Group today issued the following statement by World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim on the announcement of the selection of the Bank Group’s Vice President and Special Envoy for Climate Change, Rachel Kyte, as Chief Executive Officer of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative and appointment as the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All.
“I am delighted that Rachel Kyte, one of the world’s leading advocates in the battle for action to combat climate change, has been appointed as head of the Sustainable Energy for All initiative that I co-chair.
“After completing her work at the World Bank Group to secure the strongest possible climate agreement in December, Rachel will move full time into translating those commitments into action as the new CEO of SE4All.
“Rachel is a passionate and inspirational leader who understands the links between poverty and climate change that are vital to achieving our shared mission.
“Access to clean sustainable energy for all, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, lies at the heart of all countries’ interests, as low-income countries cannot develop without energy. People cannot have equal opportunities without energy – that’s why this initiative is so central to achieving the goals of ending extreme poverty by 2030 and boosting shared prosperity.
“We’re now one year into the UN Decade for Sustainable Energy for All. As proud partners in the global platform created by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, we look forward to working with Rachel as Sustainable Energy for All sharpens its focus on results on the ground and translates political promises into access to energy for more people.”
As the World Bank Group’s Special Envoy for Climate Change, Ms. Kyte is leading the Bank Group’s efforts to campaign for an ambitious agreement at the 21st Convention of the Parties of the UNFCCC this December. Ms. Kyte previously served as World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development and the International Finance Corporation Vice President for Business Advisory Services, where she was a member of IFC’s management team. She is professor of practice in sustainable development at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. Ms. Kyte holds a master’s degree in international relations from Tufts University, and a bachelor’s degree in history and politics from the University of London.
In September 2011, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched SE4All as a global initiative to mobilize action to achieve three goals by 2030: ensuring universal access to modern energy services; doubling the global rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. Ban Ki-moon and Jim Yong Kim together co-chair the initiative’s Advisory Board.
The official announcement of Ms. Kyte’s appointment may be found at http://www.se4all.org/2015/08/27/new-se4all-ceo/.
