by Ncaba Ntshakala
The ongoing Sustainable Energy Week (SEW) in Gaborone has become a pivotal platform for discussions on the future of sustainable energy in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.
Director of Energy at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy Thabile Nkosi recently led one of the most crucial discussions and moderated a session titled “SADC Regional Sustainable Energy Interventions: Current Situation and Priority Projects.”
The session facilitated an in-depth dialogue on the region’s energy landscape, current interventions, and priority projects needed to improve energy security and sustainability across SADC.
Director Nkosi led the discussion with a distinguished panel of experts from key industry organizations, including Steve Dhiwa, Executive Director of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP),
Francois Robinson, Acting Executive Director of the Regional Energy Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA), Gurbuz Gonul,
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Director of Country Engagement and Partnerships at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA),
Kudakwashe Ndhlukula, Executive Director of the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE), Aisma Vitina, Head of the Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (AFRA) Secretariat at the Danish Energy Agency, and Letshego Moeng,
Transformation and Strategy Manager at Botswana Power Corporation. This panel, representing regulatory bodies, renewable energy agencies, and utility corporations, collectively provided a comprehensive analysis of the region’s sustainable energy outlook.
The panelist emphasized the importance of fast-tracking regional interventions to accelerate the transition towards renewable energy solutions.
Among the key takeaways from the session was the consensus on the need for strategic interventions to enhance regional energy security, promote investment in sustainable energy infrastructure, and strengthen regulatory frameworks that support renewable energy adoption.
They also highlighted the ongoing priority projects set at expanding access to sustainable energy, improving efficiency, and integrating renewable energy sources into national grids across SADC member states.
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One of the central themes of the session was the imperative to move beyond discussions and accelerate the execution of sustainable energy programs.
The panelists called for stronger collaboration between governments, private sector stakeholders, and international development partners to ensure that energy projects are implemented efficiently and contribute to the region’s long-term energy sustainability goals.
Participants also explored innovative financing mechanisms and policy interventions that could drive investment into renewable energy projects,
ensuring that the region remains competitive in the global transition towards clean energy.
