The Second Meeting of the Technical Steering Committee of the Project on Enhancement of a Sustainable Regional Energy Market in the Eastern Africa- Southern Africa-Indian Ocean (EA-SA-IO) Region was held in Swakopmund, Namibia on the 25 – 26 April 2018.
The main objective of the Project on Enhancement of a Sustainable Regional Energy Market is to address market governance and regulatory related challenges affecting the implementation of energy development projects in the Eastern Africa, Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region. The European Development Fund (EDF) funded project has a budget of seven million Euros provided for a period of four years, and is expected to address and prepare the regions to trade power effectively. The signing of the grant agreement was conducted in May 2017 between EU and COMESA for financing the five Regional Communities (RECs) in the EA-SA-IO.
In his welcoming remarks, SADC Senior Programme Officer for the Energy Sector, Mr. Moses Ntlamelle, representing the Director of Infrastructure conveyed special gratitude from H.E. Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax, Executive Secretary of SADC to the Government of Republic of Namibia, the European Union as the leading cooperating partner, and extended recognition to the implementation partners; the Regional Electricity Regulatory Association of Southern Africa (RERA), Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) and SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE).
Mr Ntlamelle said that SADC was facilitating the implementation of several projects to ensure that electricity connectivity was achieved for all its mainland Member States through SAPP network, adding that connectivity is still under progress in Angola, Malawi and Tanzania through the Angola-Namibia, Mozambique-Malawi and Zambia-Tanzania interconnectors.
Mr. Ntlamelle explained that the Zambia-Tanzania transmission interconnector will link the East Africa Power Pool (EAPP) and SAPP which will contribute towards continental integration though energy infrastructure to realise the Cape-to-Cairo power connectivity and trading along that corridor.
The meeting reviewed the status of implementation of the first one year of the project, provided guidance to ensure attainment of the project’s objectives as well as assessed the project communication and visibility strategy.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the five Regional Economic Communities; the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) the East African Community (EAC,) Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and Indian Ocean Commission (IOC). Also in attendance were the Regional Association of Energy Regulators, Regional Power Pools, Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Centres and the representatives of the European Union Delegations to the three sub-regions.
