Mobilise resources for sustainable energy for all, EAC financiers told

THE Sustainable Energy Forum for East Africa has kicked off in Kigali with policy makers and development partners being urged to mobilise resources to facilitate implementation of key infrastructure projects including ensuring equitable access to sustainable energy for all.

The call was made by the Minister of State for Infrastructure responsible for Energy, Water and Sanitation in Rwanda,  Germaine Kamayirese and the  Special Representative for the UN Secretary General and CEO of Sustainable Energy for All, Rachel Kyte

Kamayirese told policy makers in the region and development partners to take advantage of the Forum to forge effective partnerships for resource mobilization to facilitate the implementation of East African Community priority infrastructure projects including ensuring equitable access to sustainable energy for all.

Kamayirese, who was the chief guest at the official opening of the first Sustainable Energy Forum for East Africa at the Kigali Serena Hotel said that the Forum was yet another manifestation of how crucial renewable energy and energy efficiency were to transforming economies and livelihoods in East Africa.

The Minister called on EAC Partner States to do more to meet the region's fast growing energy demands and extend modern energy services to more communities while improving people's health and ensuring long-term sustainability.

Delivering the keynote address, Rachel Kyte noted that the indicators for sustainable energy over 111 countries worldwide showed that the average score for East Africa was 44 out of 100.

"This suggests there is still significant opportunity in the region, within the EAC Partner States, to strengthen the policy and regulatory framework and close the gaps in access; clean fuels for cooking; technologies for cooking, but also to step up the uptake of renewable energy into the mix," she said.

Kyte noted that for the region to effectively harness sustainable energy, it will need to address three issues: to put energy efficiency at the forefront of sustainable energy discussions; accelerate national electrification planning, and the integration and implementation of the plans; and lastly, government, financial institutions and other financiers to explore ways to increase the flow of funding into the project to close the access gap.

The Director of the Department of Energy at the UN Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Tareq Emtairah, urged EAC Partner States to address the existing challenges in energy access and creating new opportunities for clean and efficient energy services are central to the rapid and vibrant industrial growth and economic development in the region.

"UNIDO sees the importance of linking the clean energy access agenda to industrial and economic development," said Mr. Emtairah.

EAC Deputy Secretary General in charge of Productive and Social Sectors, Christophe Bazivamo, said that the EAC's main focus in the energy sector was ensuring availability of sufficient, reliable, cost effective and environmentally friendly energy sources in the region to facilitate the broader EAC objectives of attracting investments and promoting competitiveness in trade.

"As expressed in the East African Industrialization Strategy (2012-2032), the EAC region has, as one of its targets, the diversification of the manufacturing base and raise local value-added content of resource-based exports to at least 40% by 2032. To achieve our industrialization targets, we need to accelerate access to sustainable energy and promote energy for productive uses," Bazivamo said.

The Sustainable Energy Forum for East Africa aims to foster economic transformation of the EAC Partner States through equitable access to sustainable energy for all. It is further hoped that it will forge effective partnerships for achieving Sustainable Development Goal- 7 targets - ensure access to affordable, sustainable and modern energy for all - in the EAC Partner States by the year 2030.

The three day event has been organised by the East African Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (EACREEE), in collaboration with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, the EAC Secretariat, the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), Sustainable Energy For All (SEforALL) and the Ministry of Infrastructure of the Republic of Rwanda (MININFRA).