ECREEE 12th Board Meeting

Praia - February 24th, 2017 - The 12th ECREEE Executive Board Meeting was held in Praia, Cabo Verde during which many important issues pertaining to the operations and development of ECREEE were discussed. . Among the salient issues addressed were the adoption of the ECREEE 2016 work program implementation report, the adoption of the ECREEE 2017 work programme and budget and the adoption of the ECREEE Environmental and Social Management Policy.

Another important subject addressed is ECREEE post 2016 strategy being formulated into ECREEE Business Plan 2017-2021.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Morlaye Bangoura, Commissioner for Energy and Mines stressed that 2016 was a good year in terms of the accomplishments achieved to promote sustainable energy in the ECOWAS region.  He specifically highlighted new solar PV plants built in Senegal and Ghana, which have doubled the solar capacity installed in the two countries of the region. The commissioner also emphasized the important role played by ECREEE to promote a strong regional renewable energy market.

Among other achievements by the Centre in 2016, was the adoption of important regional documents such as the energy efficiency directives for buildings, electricity generated from bioenergy sources and the regional policy to mainstream gender in energy access. As he further noticed, the plan is to move "from power points to power plants".

Other remarks were also presented by other members of the Executive Board specifically the Austrian Development Agency, represented by Mr. Walter Ehmeir, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Spain in Cabo Verde represented by Mr. Palo Moreno, Mr. Alois Mhalanga representing the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Mr. Mansour Dahoenon, representative of GIZ and Mr. Oscar Borges, National Director of Energy of Cabo Verde.