Of the 1.3 billion people on the planet without access to reliable electricity, 600 million are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Dedicated to solving this problem are organizations like Power Africa, a U.S. government-led partnership that advances inclusive, low-carbon economic growth. Mark Carrato, d

 joins host Dave Whitehead to discuss how they’re collaborating with local communities, U.S. businesses, and others to bring sustainable power to 60 million homes and businesses in the region by 2030.

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Director, USAID/Brazil

served as the Coordinator of the USAID Power Africa program from 2020-2023. Power Africa is the world’s largest partnership for development, with more than 200 public and private partners who have committed $56 billion to double access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Previously Carrato served as the Director of the USAID Office of Central America and Mexican Affairs. From 2013 to 2018, he was the Chief of the USAID/Kenya and East Africa Office of Economic Growth and the U.S. Embassy Kenya Power Africa Team Leader where he managed Presidential Initiatives in Feed the Future and Power Africa as well as programs in water and sanitation, resilience, finance and innovation. Mr. Carrato served as Deputy Director of the Office of Economic Growth and Transformation in USAID/Ethiopia; where he negotiated and implemented the G8 New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition in Ethiopia and as Acting Director/Deputy Director the Office of Agriculture and USAID/Afghanistan; where he led strategic oversight and implementation of the Mission's approximate $1 billion agriculture portfolio. He has also served with USAID in Colombia and Pakistan.

Before his Foreign Service postings, he was a Foreign Affairs and Trade Fellow for the Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee for Foreign Appropriations. He started with USAID as a Presidential Management Fellow in 2003.

Powering Africa: Unleashing Potential Through Electrification