ECOWAS Member States Move towards Actualization of Sustainable Energy Ambitions

The ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), in collaboration of the Governments of Cote d’Ivoire, Austria and Spain as well as the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the Global Environment Facility (GEF) organized a Regional Kick-off Workshop on the Development of the ECOWAS Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency National Action Plans and Sustainable Energy For All (SE4ALL) Action Agendas from 17th to 19th March 2014 in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.

The event took place at the background of promising sustainable energy developments in the ECOWAS region, particularly following the adoption of the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy (EREP) and the ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy (EEEP) by the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and Government in July 2013. The regional RE and EE policies are a voluntary commitment of ECOWAS to the UN Sustainable Energy For All (SE4ALL) Initiative and include minimum targets and scenarios for RE&EE and a broad range of measures to be implemented at national levels which will contribute to the achievement of the regional policy targets.

The workshop aimed to provide a platform for the 15 ECOWAS Member States and other stakeholders to discuss the framework for the implementation of the regional RE&EE policies and the SE4All Action Agendas in the ECOWAS region. Key outcomes of the meeting were the official launch of the national action process and the technical validation of the action plan templates by the ECOWAS Member States.

The Executive Director of ECREEE, Mr. Mahama Kappiah, in his remarks, noted that the meeting demonstrated the region’s commitment to institutionalizing actions that promote investments in sustainable energy services and improving the energy access situation in the ECOWAS region. He noted that the success of the action plans will require that they underpinned by concrete laws, incentives and measures as well as a clear financing strategy.

Over 80 experts drawn from the 15 ECOWAS countries and international organizations such as the European Union (EU), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the International Finance Corporation (IFC), UNIDO and IRENA participated in the workshop. Participants commended ECREEE for its leadership in seeking to ensure the effective coordination of ECOWAS Member States and Development Partners towards the implementation of the ground-breaking regional RE&EE policies and the SE4All Initiative in the ECOWAS region. The workshop highlighted the lessons to be drawn from the experiences of other regions and the various support mechanisms available for the action plan processes. International partners reiterated their firm commitment to providing the ECOWAS Member States with the necessary technical and financial support to ensure the actualization of the region’s sustainable energy development aspirations.

Presentations and other documents from the workshop are available here

ECREEE Secretariat: Achada Santo Antonio, C.P. 288, Praia, Cape Verde Tel: +238 260463