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ECOWAS High Level Forum: "towards sustainable energy for all in West Africa" 29 - 31 October 2012 , Accra

05 September 2012, AfriCAN Climate
URL: http://www.africanclimate.net/en/news/ecowas-high-level-forum-towards-sustainable-energy-all-west-africa-29-31-october-2012-accra

The ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), the Global Forum for Sustainable Energy (GSFE), and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) are jointly organizing an ECOWAS-GFSE-UNIDO High Level Energy Forum on "Paving the Way for Sustainable Energy for All in West Africa through Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency" from the 29–31 October 2012, in Accra, Ghana. The event is hosted by the Government of Ghana.

The High Level Energy Forum aims at the following objectives:

1. launch the UN Sustainable Energy For All Initiative (SE4All) in the ECOWAS region and establish an implementation framework of for the ECOWAS region;
2. adopt the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy and its corresponding Action Plan by the ECOWAS Energy Ministers;
3. adopt the ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy and its corresponding Action Plan by the ECOWAS Energy Ministers;
4. adopt the ECOWAS Small Scale Hydro Power Program;
5. present the ECOWAS energy efficiency initiatives on standards and labelling, lighting, electricity distribution, financing and efficient cooking.
6. report on the progress of the GEF-UNIDO Strategic Program for West Africa (SPWA) and launch the ECOWAS Observatory for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECOREX); and

Background

The Forum takes place at the background of the encouraging developments in energy access, renewable energy and energy efficiency in the ECOWAS region. As a policy response to the rising energy security concerns, continued lack of access to energy services and the need for climate change mitigation ECOWAS has taken a pioneering role in the promotion of sustainable energy technologies.

Organizing Partners

ECOWAS Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: In order to accelerate the uptake of RE&EE technologies, the ECOWAS Council of Ministers created ECREEE, a unique regional renewable energy and energy efficiency promotion agency in Sub Sahara Africa. ECREEE started its operation in 2010 with initial support of the Austrian and Spanish Governments and technical assistance of the United National Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO). The Secretariat of ECREEE is based in Praia, Cape Verde, and maintains a network of National Focal Institutions (NFIs) among all ECOWAS countries. ECREEE aims at the establishment of regional renewable energy and energy efficiency markets by supporting various activities to mitigate existing barriers for the dissemination of these technologies. The ECREEE activities include policy development, capacity building, awareness raising, knowledge management as well as business and investment promotion. Further information is available at www.ecreee.org

Global Forum on Sustainable Energy: The GFSE was launched by Austria’s Foreign Minister in cooperation with the Ministry of Environment in 1999. It stems from outreach efforts of the World Energy Assessment, which was organized by the UN Development Programme, the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the World Energy Council. The GFSE provides a platform for multi-stakeholder dialogues aimed at facilitating decision making on energy policy issues in relevant forum. It also seeks to foster public-private partnerships. The forum is perceived as follow-up to the GFSE-6 “Africa is energizing itself”, held in Vienna, Austria, in 2006. Further information is available at: www.gfse.at

United Nations Industrial Development Organization: UNIDO is the United Nations’ specialized agency with the mandate to promote industrial development in the world’s developing and least developed nations. UNIDO is one of the lead United Nations agencies in the field of renewable energy for productive uses and industrial energy efficiency. UNIDO’s services include the implementation of renewable energy demonstration projects, policy support to create a favourable environment for renewable energy technologies, and capacity-building in the form of local training, workshops and targeted publications. UNIDO has provided technical assistance for the establishment and operation of the Regional Centre for Small Hydropower, based in Abuja, Nigeria, and the ECOWAS Regional Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE). UNIDO is coordinating the USD 245 million energy component of the GEF Strategic Programme for West Africa. Further information is available at www.unido.org