IISD RS @ International Conference on Renewable Energies in Africa - Highlights for Friday, 18 April 2008

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A joint activity of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), African Union (AU), the Government of Senegal and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development


	Renewable Energy
	in Africa Bulletin
	21 April 2008


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	Daily web coverage 16 April - 17 April - 18 April

International Conference on Renewable Energies in Africa - Making renewable energy markets work for Africa: policies, industries and finance for scaling up

16-18 April 2008 | Dakar, Senegal

Conference venue at le Meridien President Hotel.


	Highlights for Friday, 18 April 2008 The International Conference on Renewable Energies in Africa concluded on Friday, 18 April. In the morning, participants convened in two plenary sessions. In the afternoon, they attended a Ministerial Dialogue, followed by a closing plenary session. During the first plenary session, chairs of three parallel sessions held on Wednesday and Thursday, 16 and 17 April, reported on key outcomes from their sessions. Participants discussed the outcomes. During the second plenary session, participants reviewed an outline of the draft Plan of Action for Scaling Up Renewable Energy Development in Africa. They discussed the Plan’s key objectives, guiding principles, programmatic areas and modes for operationalization. They then reviewed and discussed the draft Dakar Declaration for Scaling Up Renewable Energy Development in Africa. Participants reconvened in the afternoon for a Ministerial Dialogue. They heard statements from: Jose Brito, Minister of Economy, Growth and Competitiveness of Cape Verde; Haja Kabba, Minister of Energy of Sierra Leone; Dumsile Sukati, Minister for Natural Resources and Energy of Swaziland; Manfred Konukiewitz, German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development; UNIDO Director-General Kandeh Yumkella; and Cheikh Soumare, Prime Minister of Senegal. Participants adopted the Dakar Declaration in a closing plenary session. Representatives from UNEP, GTZ, French Development Agency (AFD), the AU, and UN ECA, as well as the Minister of Biofuels, Renewable Energy and Scientific Research of Senegal, expressed their support for the Action Plan. The Conference concluded at 3:55pm.


	Plenary Sessions


	Conclusions of Parallel Sessions and Summary Presentations

Heinz Leuenberger, UNIDO, opened the morning plenary session, during which outcomes from the conference’s parallel sessions were summarized.

On financing of small- and medium-scale renewable energy services and rural electrification, Jacques Moulot, UN ECA, stressed that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) need to operate in a well-regulated and protected environment in order to survive.

On mobilizing international finance, Pradeep Monga, UNIDO, stressed the important role of the private sector, and identified the need for appropriate policy and legal frameworks, as well as capacity building for local banks.

On strategies for scaling up energy efficiency in industry, Sid Boubekeur, Centre for the Development of Enterprise, recommended the launching of a regional initiative to encourage improved performance and competitiveness of SMEs.

Khalid Benhamou, Sahara Wind, Morocco.

Adly Hassanein, Mediterranean Center for Sustainable Development Programs, Egypt.

Bintou Adam, Ministry of Mines, Energy and Hydraulics, Benin.

Harald Schütt, Polytechnic of Namibia.

Participants contemplate key points raised during the plenary session.

L-R: Pradeep Monga, and Heinz Leuenberger, both from UNIDO, during the plenary.


	Plan of Action and Dakar Declaration on Scaling Up Renewables in Africa

Stephen Karekezi, African Energy Policy Research Network (AFREPREN), highlighted the Plan's objective to increase investment flows for renewable energy development in Africa to US$10 billion between 2009-2014.

Sécou Sarr, Enda-tm, read the draft Dakar Declaration.

L-R: Heinz Leuenberger, in consultation with Sécour Sarr.


	Side Event: AFREPREN/REN21-FWD: Renewable Energies for Africa - Potentials, Markets and Strategies

L-R: Phillipe Lempp, Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century; Mike Enskat, GTZ; Stephen Karekezi, AFREPREN; Touria Dafrallah, Enda-tm; and Manfred Konukiewitz, German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).


	Ministerial Segment and Closing Plenary

Manfred Konukiewitz, BMZ, highlighted changes in attitudes towards renewable energy since the creation of Agenda 21 in 1992.

Cheikh Soumaré, Prime Minister of Senegal, praised the high quality of the Conference conclusions.

Dumsile Sukati, Minister for Natural Resources and Energy of Swaziland, noted the establishment of a renewable energy task force in Swaziland.

UNIDO Director-General Kandeh Yumkella outlined plans to finalize the conference Plan of Action.

Jose Brito, Minister of Economy, Growth and Competitiveness of Cape Verde, highlighted energy challenges in Cape Verde caused by dependence on imported fossil fuels.

Christian Diatta, Minister of Biofuels, Renewable Energy and Scientific Research of Senegal.

Haja Kabba, Minister of Energy and Power of Sierra Leone, highlighted the role of energy in improving the lives of the poor.

L-R: Samuel Sarr, Minister of Energy of Senegal; and Ousmane Ngom, Minister of Mines, Industry and SMEs of Senegal.

Partcipants after the close of the conference.


	Around the Conference

Kati Kulovesi, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Reporting Services (IISD RS).

Alexandra Conliffe, IISD RS.

L-R: Mike Enskat, GTZ; and Joe Nyangon, IISD RS

Delegates from Cameroon.

A view of the Dakar coastline from the conference venue.


	Daily web coverage 16 April - 17 April - 18 April

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	Related Links


	International Conference on Renewable Energy in Africa resources Official conference web site Proposed schedule Side events United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) IISD RS resources IISD RS coverage of the Washington International Renewable Energy Conference 2008, WIREC 2008 Ministerial Meeting - Washington, DC, United States of America, 4-6 March 2008 - (English: HTML - PDF) IISD RS coverage of the Seventh Meeting of the Global Forum on Sustainable Energy (GFSE-7) “Energy Efficiency for Developing Countries”, 21-23 November 2007, Vienna, Austria - (English: HTML - PDF) IISD RS coverage of the First High-Level Biofuels Seminar in Africa, 30 July-1 August 2007, Addis Ababa, Ethiopía - (English: HTML - PDF) IISD RS coverage of the Eighth African Union Summit, 22-30 January 2007, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - (Briefing Note 1: HTML - PDF) - (Briefing Note 2: HTML - PDF) IISD RS coverage of the Sixth Meeting of the Global Forum on Sustainable Energy (GFSE-6), "Africa is energizing itself", 29 November - 1 December 2006, Vienna, Austria - (English: HTML- PDF) IISD RS coverage of the UNFCCC African Regional Workshop on Adaptation, 21-23 September 2006, Accra, Ghana - (English: HTML- PDF) IISD RS coverage of the Renewables 2004 - International Conference for Renewable Energies, 1-4 June 2004, Bonn, Germany - (English: HTML- PDF) IISD RS climate change and energy page Energy-l - A mailing list for news on biodiversity and wildlife policy Linkages Update - Bi-weekly international environment and sustainable development news MEA Bulletin - Newsletter on key MEAs and their secretariats African Regional Coverage Linkages Africa - Fortnightly newsletter reporting on sustainable development events in Africa

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