Opening of the Joint Meeting of Ministers Responsible for Energy and Water Sectors on May 27
On May 27, 2024, the Joint Meeting of the Committee of Ministers Responsible for the Energy and Water Sectors officially commenced.
The meeting was chaired by Minister João Baptista Borges, who highlighted that its primary objective is to address critical issues and prepare important topics for discussion and approval by the relevant committees for energy and water.
In the Energy Sector, the ministers will review progress since the previous meeting, discuss energy supply security, advancements in SADC’s priority areas for sustainable energy development, and consider the proposal for establishing a Regional Transport Infrastructure Financing Mechanism (RTIFF).
The ministers will also evaluate the progress on amending the SADC Energy Protocol (1996), regional regulatory initiatives in the energy sector, and efforts to strengthen national energy regulators and the Regional Electricity Regulators Association (RERA), aimed at developing a Regional Regulatory Authority. Moreover, the meeting will cover the promotion of renewable and alternative energy sources, the legal establishment of SACREEE (SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency), progress in signing and ratifying SACREEE IGMOA, and discussions on transitioning to cleaner fuels, such as low-sulfur diesel. Additionally, a proposal for a Just Energy Transition for the SADC region will be reviewed.
In the Water Sector, ministers will assess progress in regional initiatives to enhance water and sanitation services in SADC member states and review ongoing transboundary water projects led by basin organizations. They will also examine the development and financing of regional water infrastructure, including cross-border water systems.
Furthermore, the ministers will discuss the second phase of the regional groundwater program, supported by the SADC Water Fund and other partners, as well as the implementation of the integrated water-energy-food project in member states.
The meeting will also provide updates on ongoing work to revise regional water policies and develop a strategy for mobilizing resources for the water sector.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), originally established as the Southern Africa Development Coordination Conference in 1980 with sixteen (16) member states, was restructured into 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
