Accra — The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE) has announced today that it will be hosting its third annual ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Forum (ESEF) on 22-24 October in Accra, Ghana.
This year’s venue will be the Kempinski Hotel, Gold Coast City.
Under the high patronage of His Excellency, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana, the event will bring together West Africa’s top elected officials, policymakers, industry thought leaders and other individuals committed to moving forward the sustainable energy agenda. With the support of ECREEE and its sister agencies, the West Africa Power Pool (WAPP) and the ECOWAS Regional Electricity Authority (ERERA), the region has made tremendous strides in putting in place the policy and regulatory framework for a viable sustainable energy market. As such, translating this enabling environment into concrete projects powering inclusive energy access and growth is one of the key objectives of ESEF2019.
This year’s forum also marks a special relationship with two partners with a demonstrated commitment to sustainable communities around the world: Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE), the off-grid industry association consisting of more than 130 members active in Africa to deliver innovative clean energy solutions; and GET.invest, a European programme that mobilises renewable energy investments.
“The ECOWAS region is on the brink of major transformation and no sector can catalyze such transformation more than the energy industry,” says Mahama Kappiah, Executive Director, ECREEE. “In three to four short years, we have seen tremendous progress in the development of utility-scale renewable energy projects and off-grid electrification is also progressing at a fast pace. With major initiatives such as the Regional Off-Grid Electrification Project (ROGEP) and the West Africa Clean Energy Corridor, ECREEE is proposing key investment opportunities to facilitate a more sustainable West Africa.”
“Building on the recent memorandum of understanding signed with ECREEE at the fifth ARE Energy Access Investment Forum in Abidjan this year and the recommendations that emerged from the subsequent policy dialogues, ARE is keen to develop win-win partnerships between the local and international private sectors, as well as deepen cooperation to boost off-grid renewable energy technologies in West Africa,” says Marcus Wiemann, Executive Director, ARE.
Special guests at this year’s ESEF include high-level delegates, among them:
● H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President, The Republic of Ghana
● H.E. Jean-Claude Brou, President, ECOWAS Commission
● John Peter Amewu, Minister of Energy, Ghana
● Alhaji Kanja Seesay, Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Sierra Leone
● Dr. Bachir Ismael Ouedraogo, Minister of Energy, Burkina Faso
● Sediko Douka, Commissioner for Energy and Mines, ECOWAS
● Executives from the climate and energy finance sectors, technology manufacturers and distributors, and others
The forum will provide a platform for improving the policy and regulatory landscape for private sector investment, where attendees will be able to liaise with financiers and secure other resources to fund their business endeavors.
Various themes will be covered over the three-day event, namely: utility scale renewable energy projects, off-grid electrification, energy access, financing and investment. As such, dedicated B2B sessions for project promoters and investors to mingle will also be provided. Additionally, a large exhibition will be held at ESEF2019 to allow manufacturers, developers, financial institutions and other companies to showcase their products and services. Interested parties should contact [email protected] or [email protected]. ESEF2019 aims to be a platform for establishing long-lasting, valuable partnerships between ECOWAS policy makers, regional and international private sector players and financial institutions.
As a true testament to ESEF’s growing success and dedication to collaborative, solution-oriented pathways, this year’s ESEF is supported by The Austrian Development Cooperation (ADA); The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID); UNIDO; German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ); The World Bank Group; The European Union; The Global Environment Facility (GEF); Sustainable Energy for All; GET.invest; and ARE
