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Praia, Cabo Verde – 25th January 2019 – The Board of the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) adopted the revised ECREEE 2018 work plan and budget as well as the work plan status report at its 15th Executive meeting held in Praia, Cabo Verde on the 25th of January 2019. The forum, preceded by the ECREEE Technical Committee meeting, saw the presentation and adoption of the report of the 14th Executive Board Meeting with minor corrections, as well as discussions on the ECREEE staff recruitment exercise and organogram and the need for ECREEE to expand its partnership-base.
In his key note address at the start of the meeting, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Energy and Mines, Sediko Douka, commended the government of Cabo Verde, as well as financial and technical partners of ECREEE for their support. He lauded the extraordinary work ECREEE continues to undertake in the promotion of sustainable energy development across West Africa. Mr. Douka noted with gratitude ECREEE’s commencement of the implementation of its 2017-2021 strategic plan, which aims to support the West African community realize its objective of universal access to reliable energy supply by 2030.
The UNIDO Sustainable Energy Expert Martin Lugmayr, expressed delight over the “unprecedented growth of ECREEE’s budget and activities. He said UNIDO is proud that ECREEE had emerged as the best practical model and leading member of the Global Network of the Sustainable Energy Centres (GNSEC) and reaffirmed the UN agency’s commitment to supporting ECREEE to implement its strategic plan 2017-2021.
The Charge d’ Affaires of the Spanish Embassy in Cabo Verde, Carles Puigmarti recalled the long-standing partnership between Spain and ECOWAS, which has expanded to include migration and gender amongst others. She said Spain is committed to the empowerment of rural women and assured ECREEE of Spain’s continued technical and financial support.
For his part the Director of Energy of Cabo Verde noted that the government of Cape Verde was pleased to host the Centre and expressed satisfaction with the contributions of ECREEE to the country’s sustainable energy development.
In his welcoming address, the Executive Director of ECREEE Mahama Kappiah underscored the importance of the gathering saying it afforded them the opportunity to gauge the progress made in the implementation of the 2018 work programme. He thanked partners for redeeming their pledges while reiterating his commitment to the effective execution of ECREEE programmes and activities.
In her closing remarks the ECOWAS Commissioner for Finance, Halima Ahmed said it was gratifying to see ECREEE evolve into a model Centre and thanked partners for their continued support. She further commended ECREEE’s gender activities and urged them to focus on concrete projects whiling assuring stakeholders that the ECOWAS Commission will address the critical staffing needs of the Centre.
Participants enjoined the Centre to concentrate more on results-based activities and ensure that its programmes and activities are coherent. The meeting further urged ECREEE officials to follow up on the collaboration with R20- Regions of Climate Action and to explore the possibility of inviting the founding chair, Arnold Schwarzeneggerof the agency to the ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum.