Joint Meeting of Ministers for Energy and Water Sectors Held on May 27
The Joint Meeting of the Committee of Ministers responsible for the Energy and Water Sectors took place on May 27, 2024.
Chaired by Minister João Baptista Borges, the meeting focused on addressing critical issues and preparing important topics for discussion and approval by the relevant committees overseeing Energy and Water.
In the Energy Sector, the ministers will examine the progress made since the previous meeting, the security of energy supply, developments in SADC’s priority areas for sustainable energy sector growth, and a proposal to create a Regional Transport Infrastructure Financing Mechanism (RTIFF).
The meeting will also review the ongoing amendments to the SADC Protocol on Energy (1996), discuss regional regulatory initiatives, and explore strengthening national energy regulators and the Regional Electricity Regulators Association (RERA) in the process of forming a Regional Regulatory Authority. Additionally, the ministers will focus on the promotion of new and renewable energy sources, the legal operationalization of SACREEE (SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency), progress on the signing and ratification of SACREEE IGMOA, and the transition to cleaner fuels, including low-sulfur diesel. A proposal for a Just Energy Transition in the SADC region will also be discussed.
In the Water Sector, ministers will review progress on regional initiatives aimed at enhancing water and sanitation services across SADC member states, alongside ongoing transboundary water projects led by basin organizations. They will also assess advancements in financing and developing regional water infrastructure, including transboundary water systems.
The ministers will further evaluate the second phase of the regional groundwater program, backed by the SADC Water Fund and other partners, and examine the implementation of the integrated water-energy-food project in member states.
Updates will be provided on ongoing efforts to revise regional water policies and develop a regional strategy for mobilizing resources for the water sector.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), founded in 1980 with 16 member states, was initially known as the Southern Africa Development Coordination Conference before transitioning into the Southern African Development Community in August 1992.
The Joint Meeting of Ministers 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
