It is a pleasure to be here this morning to participate in the ribbon cutting for Standard Microgrid’s 10th solar microgrid in Zambia. Today, we are here to acknowledge and support the 69 percent of Zambians across the country who do not have access to electricity; and they are not alone.  Two out of three people in sub-Saharan Africa lack access to electricity. Electricity is the lifeblood of economic development and is essential for one’s quality of life.  While important strides have been made to diversify power generation and expand access to power in Zambia, there is still significant work to be done to ensure electricity is available to all Zambians.