19 Aug 2024

Botswana will from December 2 to 6 host the SADC  Sustainable Energy Week in Gaborone.

Giving a key note address during the event activation launch in Gaborone on Thursday, Minister of Minerals and Energy, Honourable Lefoko Moagi said the event would be jointly organised by the ministry and SADC centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency and will be held under the theme; Accelerating Sustainable Energy Solution for an Energy Secure SADC Region’.

He said SADC Sustainable Energy Week was of significant importance for Botswana as it aligned with the national energy goals and the broader objectives of SADC Region towards the energy sector.

Similarly, the 2024 SADC Sustainable Energy Week was a pivotal moment to reaffirm Botswana’s ambitious targets of increasing the contribution of renewable energy to 30 per cent by 2030 and reducing carbon emissions by 15 per cent within the same timeframe.

“Not only for Botswana, but the 2024 SADC Sustainable Energy Week is also an opportunity for all SADC member states to showcase the progress on renewable energy and energy efficiency, share best practices and foster partnerships that will drive the SADC region’s transition to sustainable energy,” he said.

He thus said the event presented a perfect platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange and collaboration among key stakeholders in the energy sector.

He said the event aimed to create a platform that would bring together relevant stakeholders in the energy sector to facilitate growth and development of the sustainable energy sector in the region.

He said the focus area would include policy formulations, creation of enabling environment, financing, grid integration and renewable energy technologies among others.

He was hopeful for the event to yield several critical outcomes, including enhanced regional cooperation and strengthen collaborations among SADC member states to achieve a unified approach to sustainable energy.

“We are hopeful for the event to map a way for the creation of policies and regulatory frameworks that support renewable energy and energy efficiency,” Minister Moagi said.

He said the event would also address issues of investment and financing in an effort to attract investment and innovative financing solutions to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy technologies.

He therefore indicated that the event was testament to the collaborative efforts of SADC Secretariat and the Ministry of Minerals and Energy, and Botswana acted as a catalyst for change and a beacon of hope for a sustainable energy future. ENDS