Joint Meeting of Ministers Responsible for the Energy and Water Sectors Held on May 27
The Joint Meeting of the Committee of Ministers responsible for the Energy and Water Sectors began on May 27, 2024.
Minister João Baptista Borges led the meeting, highlighting the significance of addressing key issues and preparing essential topics for discussion and approval by the respective Committees for Energy and Water.
In the Energy Sector, the ministers will assess the progress made since the previous meeting, concentrate on energy security, and review developments in SADC’s priority areas for sustainable growth in the regional energy sector. They will also explore a proposal for establishing a Regional Transport Infrastructure Financing Mechanism (RTIFF).
The discussions will include an update on the revision of the SADC Protocol on Energy (1996), regional regulatory initiatives, and efforts to enhance the role of national energy regulators and the Regional Electricity Regulators Association (RERA) in creating a Regional Regulatory Authority. Other topics to be covered include the promotion of renewable energy sources, the legal formalization of SACREEE (SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency), the progress of signing and ratifying SACREEE IGMOA, and the region’s transition to cleaner fuels, such as low-sulfur diesel. A proposal for a Just Energy Transition for the SADC region will also be discussed.
In the Water Sector, the ministers will review regional initiatives aimed at enhancing water and sanitation services in SADC member states and assess ongoing transboundary water projects managed by basin organizations. They will also examine progress in financing and developing regional water infrastructure, including cross-border water systems.
The ministers will discuss the second phase of the regional groundwater program, supported by the SADC Water Fund and other partners, and the implementation of the water-energy-food integration project in member states.
Further updates will be provided on the revision of regional water policies and strategies for resource mobilization in the water sector.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), established in 1980 with sixteen (16) member states, was initially known as the Southern Africa Development Coordination Conference and was renamed the Southern African Development Community in August 1992.
The Joint Meeting of Ministers responsible for Energy and Water will be preceded by a meeting of sector experts from May 27 to 31, 2024.
Information Technology, Institutional Communication, and Press Office of the Ministry of Energy and Water, Luanda, May 28, 2024 João Baptista Borges João Baptista Borges
