Joint Meeting of Ministers Responsible 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.
Minister João Baptista Borges chaired the session, emphasizing the importance of addressing critical issues and preparing essential topics for review and approval by the respective Committees for Energy and Water.
In the Energy Sector, the ministers will evaluate the progress since the last meeting, focus on energy security, and review developments in key areas for sustainable energy sector growth in the SADC region. They will also consider a proposal to establish a Regional Transport Infrastructure Financing Mechanism (RTIFF).
Discussions will also cover the ongoing revision of the SADC Protocol on Energy (1996), regional regulatory initiatives, and efforts to strengthen national energy regulators and the Regional Electricity Regulators Association (RERA), with the goal of establishing a Regional Regulatory Authority. Other key topics will include the promotion of renewable energy, the legal establishment of SACREEE (SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency), progress in signing and ratifying SACREEE IGMOA, and the region’s shift toward cleaner fuels, such as low-sulfur diesel. A proposal for a Just Energy Transition within the SADC region will also be presented.
In the Water Sector, the ministers will assess regional efforts to improve water and sanitation services in SADC member states and review ongoing transboundary water projects managed by basin organizations. They will also discuss the financing and development of regional water infrastructure, including cross-border water systems.
The second phase of the regional groundwater program, backed by the SADC Water Fund and other partners, as well as the implementation of the integrated water-energy-food project, will also be examined.
Updates will be provided regarding the revision of regional water policies and strategies to mobilize resources for the water sector.
The Southern African Development Community (SADC), founded in 1980 with 16 member states, was initially called the Southern Africa Development Coordination Conference. It was renamed 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
