Energy chiefs to plot roadmap for regional sufficiency

By John Eche

A Regional Energy Co-operation Summit to discuss opportunities for West African collaboration on energy projects is scheduled to hold at the Sofitel, Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire from 26-27 January 2017

The event will feature discussions on cross-border power projects and investments across the West African region

The organisers of the meeting, EnergyNet, say they will work with ECOWAS regional institutions, such as WAPP, ERERA and ECREEE, and the national governments of West Africa to uncover cost efficient solutions to increase energy access, industrial capacity and profitability for all.

According to the organisers, cross-border co-operation in West Africa is crucial to develop mechanisms that facilitate trade and power exchange among States.

On the choice of Cote’ d’Ivoire to host the event, the organisers say that as one of the fastest growing economies in Sub-Saharan Africa, Côte d’Ivoire is a popular entry point for African and international companies seeking to invest in the region, as well as harbouring the headquarters of the African Development Bank.

According to them, these points complement the overarching theme of the Regional Energy Co-operation Summit taking place from 26-27 January in Abidjan, which is to unleash international capital to drive forward West Africa’s regional integration.

According to them also, recent South African and Moroccan examples illustrate the benefits of well managed Independent Power Projects (IPPs), demonstrating effective and transparent leadership aligned with both multilaterals and private sector.

The meeting will host keynote addresses from Hon. Patrick Sendolo, Minister of Mines, Lands and Energy of the Republic of Liberia and H.E. Prof. Alpha Oumar Dissa, Minister of Energy, Mines and Quarries, Burkina Faso. Conference sessions will focus on regional co-operation and power delivery, the importance of gas in accelerating the pace of regional development, the role of the private sector and innovative methods for project financing. Siengui Ki, Executive Director of West Africa Power Pool, will showcase successful case studies and present live projects seeking investment.

A statement from the organisers outlined that confirmed speakers from across the region include: H.E. Honourable Patrick Sendolo, Minister of Mines, Lands and Energy, Liberia; H.E. Prof. Alpha Oumar Dissa, Minister of Energy, Mines and Quarries, Burkina Faso; Siengui Ki, Executive Secretary, West Africa Power Pool; Wilfrid Maffon, Personal Assistant to H.E. Dona Jean Claude Houssou, Minister of Energy, Water and Mines, Benin; Mouhamadou Makhtar Cissé, Chief Executive Officer, Sénélec, Senegal; andPaul Marie A. Sagna Lakh, Secretary General, Regulatory Commission for the Electricity Sector (CRSE), Senegal.

Others are Djiby Ndiaye, Director General, National Agency for Renewable Energy (ANER), Senegal; Yesufu Longe Alonge, Head, Power Procurement and Power Contracts, NBET, Nigeria; Moussa Ombotimbe, Deputy National Director of Energy, National Directorate of Energy (DNE), Mali; Eng. Júlio António Raúl, Director of Renewable Energy and Domestic Energy, Ministry of Energy and Industry, Guinea-Bissau; Spero Mensah, President, Africa Power Group, former Minister of Energy, Benin; Ifey Ikeonu, Former Chairperson, ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA); Bernhard van Meeteren, Senior Investment Officer, FMO; Romain Py, Head of Transactions, African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM); Mamadou Touré, Founder & CEO, Ubuntu Capital; Matthias Adler, Head of Division, Infrastructure, Financial Sector West Africa, KfW; Rachid Idrissi Kaitoun, President, Moroccan Energy Federation; Cassandra Colbert, Resident Representative in Cote d’Ivoire, International Finance Corporation; and Ransome Owan, Group Managing Director, Aiteo Power, Infrastructure & Real Estate.

ECOWAS Commission President, Marcel Alain de Souza