Costanza is a Programme Officer at UNDP, specializing in Strategic Policy, Innovation, and Partnerships. Currently based in Mauritania, she provides support for the national project.
Each month, the Africa Minigrids Program aims to spotlight an individual from one of the participating countries working tirelessly to advance the initiative at the regional or national level.
March’s Champion of the Month, Costanza Landini, is instrumental in securing resources and forging strategic partnerships for AMP Mauritania. She works closely with the team to enhance project bankability.
Q: What’s your story—how did you end up working in the clean energy industry?
A: After an academic path focused on public policies, particularly social policies, I have started working on renewable energies and the just energy transition at the UNDP Mauritania country office. It is exactly the angle of inclusion and leaving no one behind that pushed me towards energy policies. Indeed, access to renewable energy cannot be only associated with having or not having electricity; it means that households can productively use energy to generate income and improve their living conditions financially. As I joined UNDP Mauritania in October 2023 with the responsibility of supporting colleagues with building partnerships and mobilise resources, I have started to work closely with the energy team to ensure the PERZI (projet d’electrification rurale des zones isolées), the flagship initiative on renewable energies of UNDP and the Ministry of Energy of Mauritania, is bankable.
Q: Briefly describe your role and involvement with AMP so far.
A: Within the AMP, I work with the energy team at UNDP’s Mauritania country office to identify public and private partners at both national and international levels. The goal is to position the AMP initiative at the center of the energy projects in Mauritania, identifying synergies with similar projects led by the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the European Union. The approach aims to attract additional financial resources from other key partners that have recently committed to work with the Mauritanian Government such as the Islamic Development Bank or the OPEC Fund.
Q: What excites you most about the potential of AMP, specifically in your country?
A: Impact on people is what matters the most! The AMP initiative in Mauritania is promising as it will serve 200 rural villages with minigrids and be life-changing for many Mauritanians. Through the PERZI project and its financial support, UNDP will have contributed to improving living conditions for the most vulnerable populations, about 360,000 people in the country (8 per cent of the population), of whom 250,000 (65%) live in extreme poverty.
Q: What is one thing you want people to know about minigrids and access to electricity?
A: I think that people should be aware of the full potential of minigrids for rural communities; as I said, beyond accessing electricity, how it can be used in a productive way to start a small business and earn a living.