On 18-19 November 2019, the Energy Nexus Network, Global Renewables Congress, Tony Blair Institute, the World Future Council and Hivos, in partnership with the Ministry of Energy of Sierra Leone will organize the High-Level Conference on Renewable Energy & Clean Cooking. The conference will take place in Freetown International Conference Center, Sierra Leone. 

Expanding access to clean energy solutions on the African continent in the face of the climate crisis and rapid economic changes is essential. Across the Mano River Union region (Cote d’Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea) energy sector leaders are prioritizing the development of decentralized renewable energy sources for the promotion of energy access, improvement of women’s health and economic development. Standalone systems and appliances for households and small businesses and clean energy mini-grids can help to stimulate productive, income-generating activities across key growth sectors.

The policy dialogue will aim for in-depth discussions on specific technical and political areas of relevance for the uptake of renewable energy and clean cooking. Legislators on local, national and regional level play a prominent role in supporting and promoting the implementation and distribution of renewables strategies by connecting among each other and building networks with various partners and investors in the field. Concrete opportunities for regional cooperation will be identified and prospects of legislators to scale up renewable energy and Mano River Union (MRU) regional integration will be unveiled. 

The long-term purpose of this policy dialogue will be the development of a joint roadmap for accelerating renewable energy and clean cooking in the MRU countries. This forum on Renewable Energy and Clean Cooking marks the starting point of an ongoing legislative dialogue on the rapid deployment of renewable energy solutions in the region.

For further information on the key topics, attendees and planned agenda, please download this document.

Contacts

In Europe: Anna Leidreiter, Director of Climate Energy of the World Future Council and Coordinator of the Global Renewables Congress (Anna.Leidreiter@worldfuturecouncil.org).

In Freetown: Sahr Abraham Grass-Sessay, Coordination Consultant, High Level Coalition of Leaders for Clean Cooking in Africa (abrahamsessay@yahoo.com; Phone: +232 80 033 124; WhatsApp: +225 58 22 91 11)

Please note, this two-day event is by invitation only, in case of interest, please contact Sahr Abraham Grass-Sessay, Coordination Consultant, High Level Coalition of Leaders for Clean Cooking in Africa (see above)

This article was originally published on the Global Renewables Congress website.