ECREEE Rio+20 Side Event: Universal Access to Sustainable Energy Services in West Africa by 2030

The ECREEE Rio+20 Side Event "Towards Universal Access to Sustainable Energy Services in West Africa" was held on 17 June 2012. The side event brought together the major partners and beneficiaries in the implementation process of the ECOWAS white paper for energy access in peri-urban and rural areas. Participants include high level representatives from ECOWAS, United Nations (UNIDO, UNDP) and the European Union (Austria, Spain, European Commission). The Workshop is a direct contribution of ECOWAS to the 2012 International Year of Sustainable Energy For All.Outcomes:The outcome of the workshop includes:

• the participants took stock of the achievements of the white paper process and highlight success stories and lessons learned in some of the ECOWAS countries;
• discussion on the objectives and time frame of the white paper in the light of the newly adopted UN Goals on Universal Access to Energy Services by 2030;
• discussion on different renewable energy and energy efficiency solutions and business models (e.g. mini-grids, improved stoves) to accelerate the implementation of the white paper;
• the participants proposed fast-track measures to be implemented under the Sustainable Energy for All initiative.

During the side event ECOWAS/ECREEE presented

• an outlook on the ECOWAS policies for renewable energy and energy efficiency, to be submitted to ECOWAS Energy Ministers for consideration and adoption  at the occasion of the ECOWAS-GFSE High Level Forum, 29 to 31 October 2012, Accra, Ghana".
• report on the results of the first call for proposals of the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Facility (EREF) for peri-urban and rural areas.
• report on the outcomes of the regional workshop on small scale hydropower development, held from 16 to 20 April 2012, in Monrovia, Liberia.
•  the road map for a pro-active regional RE&EE access program
•  the strategy framework for rolling out modern bioenergy and solar energy in the ECOWAS region

 Please see below the agenda of the side event. For further information, contact us at rio20@ecreee.org.