LUSAKA, Jan. 21- Experts from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) on Wednesday kicked off a two-day meeting in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, to discuss challenges affecting the promotion of inclusive energy in the region.
The Expert Group Meeting has brought together policymakers, energy experts, development partners, and regional institutions to validate and finalize the SADC Just Energy Transition Framework.
Eunice Kamwendo, director for the Southern Africa regional office at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), said there is a need for the region to accelerate energy diversification and expand regional grid interconnections to increase energy access.
Kamwendo expressed concern over uneven access to modern energy services due to various challenges that must be addressed.
She noted that Southern Africa has abundant renewable energy sources and critical energy minerals that must be fully harnessed to ensure that the region is not left behind in the rapidly changing global energy transition landscape.
SADC Executive Secretary Elias Magosi urged member states to give priority to energy security, infrastructure development, and sustainable energy transitions.
In a speech read on his behalf by SADC Senior Program Officer Moses Ntlamelle, Magosi said that energy is a key enabler of industrialization, economic development, regional integration, and improved quality of life in the region.
The high-level meeting, organized by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa-Southern Africa Subregional Office through its Technology, Innovation, Connectivity and Infrastructure Development Division in collaboration with the SADC Secretariat, is expected to focus on accelerating access to clean, affordable, and reliable energy, renewable energy development, infrastructure expansion, financing, and energy transportation. (Namibia Daily News / Xinhua)
