SADC seeks regional energy sustainability

This was said by the SADC executive secretary, Elias Magosi at the official opening of the Inaugural SADC Sustainable Energy Week held in Gaborone. It was held under the theme "Accelerating Sustainable Energy Solutions for an Energy Secure SADC Region." Magosi told the gathering that there is need for collaboration as the region needs an urgent and robust investment in power generation, transmission, and diversification into renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy, in addition to deliberate efforts by all to adopt and ensure energy efficiency at all levels.

He appreciated the efforts in the works to interconnect Angola, Malawi, and Tanzania to the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) network, to ensure that the region exploited excess power in some countries and to reduce the deficit in others. Despite these efforts, Magosi cited that climate change had laid bare limitations to ascertain a sustainable energy supply and its security. "We do not only have to grapple with our limited and very difficult ability to minimize pollution from fossil fuels but also we must contend with harsh droughts that have made us extremely vulnerable to continue our dependence on water resources," he said.