AU MEMBER STATES CALLED UPON TO PRIORITISE ENERGY IN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES
Addis Ababa Ethiopia 12 November 2012-
As Africa’s increasingly strong economic performance continues, the
continent needs to generate enough energy to power the development.
Most African countries have set ambitious development targets and
availability of reliable, affordable and low cost power supply is vital.
In this respect, African Union member states have been called upon to
prioritise energy in their development strategies.
To
address the pressing issue of energy in Africa, African experts are
meeting in Addis Ababa from 12-15 November, ahead of the Second AU
Conference of Energy Ministers of Africa (CEMA) to be held on the 16th
of November. The theme of the CEMA meeting is: “Renewable Energy for
Sustainable Development: From Potential to Infrastructure and Services”.
The African Union Commission, the African Development Bank, and the
Economic Commission for Africa are co-organizing the one week meeting.
The meeting gives the AU Commission the opportunity to report on the
implementation of the Maputo Declaration of Energy Ministers, in
particular on various renewable energy sources.
While
addressing the experts’ meeting, African Union Commissioner for
Infrastructure and Energy Dr Elham Ibrahim , called on member states to
“mobilise domestic resources and to prioritise renewable energies in
their economic development strategies” adding, “indeed, reliable,
affordable and low cost power supply is needed for economic growth”. The
Commissioner also called for sustained support from all partners,
regional and international institutions as well as private developers to
contribute to financing regional energy infrastructure as highlighted
in the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA), which
is being implemented till 2020.
Given
that 2012 was declared as the International Year of Sustainable Energy
Access for All (SE4ALL) by the United Nations Secretary General and the
UN system, the meeting will be an important opportunity to reiterate the
crucial role of renewable energy in achieving sustainable development
in Africa by contributing to the three goals of the SE4ALL initiative:
i.e. ensuring universal access to modem forms of energy for all by 2030,
significantly improving energy efficiency, and doubling the global
share of renewable energy by 2030.
Today’s
official opening ceremony was also addressed by Mr Alemayehu Tegenu-
Ethiopian Minister of Energy and Water; Mr Abdallah Hamdock- Deputy
Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
and representatives of various partner organisations. A representative
of the Republic of Mozambique, which chairs the CEMA bureau, also
addressed the meeting.
Note for the media:
Programme highlights for coverage by media are as follows:
15 November 2012 at 15:00-
Ministerial Roundtable; a half day event that will address the issue of
major challenges for private sector participation / investment in
Africa, in particular energy sector development. The focus on this Round
Table shall be implementation and policy dialogue between policy makers
(African ministers) and the top-level public and private sector
representatives including the European Investment Bank, the African
Development Bank, etc.
16 November 2012 at 09:00- Opening of the Ministerial Session and press conference
