The president of the ECOWAS Commission Desire Kadre Ouedraogo has urged Member States in the region to obtain sustainable energy growth models.

Speaking at the ECOWAS Sustainable Energy Policy and Investment High Level Panel which opened in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire in September 2015, the president said there was a high need in this regard, for energy stakeholders to urgently mobilize effective financial instruments and in particular secure the political support of Member States in aid of Energy Efficiency Projects and Renewable Energies in the ECOWAS region.

Commending the efforts of Member States in the desire to increase investments in the sustainable energy sector, the president who spoke through the ECOWAS Commissioner for Energy and Mines Dr Morlaye Bangoura said “the major of the regional energy drive which is ‘ensuring universal access to electricity in our region by 2030’, does not only motivate but compels us to institutionalise concrete measures that promote investment in sustainable energy services”

The ECOWAS Commission believes that the encouraging development in the political terrain would usher in a new era of opportunities making residential and industrial buildings, business enterprises and industries of the region a bee-hive of large-scale energy supply and consumption.

He disclosed that ECOWAS has noted with satisfaction the adoption of national and regional sustainable energy policies and the development of corresponding national plans for the realisation of concrete field actions.

These national action plans, he clarified, are aimed at promoting the attainment of the regional objectives of renewable energy, energy efficiency and universal access to energy by 2030.

“Let me recall that these objectives include increasing the share of renewable energy in total electricity generation to 10% in 2020, and 19% in 2030.  In addition to major hydro-electricity plants (identified in the ECOWAS Master Plan), the share should attain 35% in 2020 and 48% in 2030” He added.

At the forum ECOWAS Member States were commended for the remarkable progress made in formulating their national sustainable energy action plans, particularly the National Renewable Energy Action Plans (NREAPs), the National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs) and the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4ALL) Programmes.

These programmes are essential to the implementation of the ECOWAS Renewable Energy Policy (EREP) and the ECOWAS Energy Efficiency Policy (EEEP) adopted by the Authority of Heads of State and Government in July 2013 as well as the Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) Initiative in the ECOWAS region.

ECOWAS is rolling out an ambitious plan to achieve universal access to sustainable energy for the entire population, recognizing that the lack of modern energy services considerably hampers the implementation of regional strategies aimed at fostering socio-economic development, attracting foreign investment programs, and providing basic social services.

The ECOWAS Commission boss used the opportunity of the High Level Panel to commend the President of Cote d’Ivoire Mr Alhassane Ouattara, for his unrelenting efforts in promoting the ECOWAS ideals within his cabinet and to the valiant people of Cote d’Ivoire.

Participants at the forum included representatives the Development Partners-European Union, Spain, Austria, Germany, UNIDO, African Development Bank, Global Environment Fund, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), International Renewable Energy Agency, ECOWAS Member States’ Delegations and that of the minister for Oil and Energy of Cote d’Ivoire,