‘ASCENT, Comesa’s Game Changer’-Kapwepwe

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Energy:

‘ASCENT, Comesa’s Game Changer’-Kapwepwe
…….. ‘will transform and improve the livelihoods of women, our citizens’

6 June. Lusaka (Zambia Informer) —–The ‘Energy MasterCard’, Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation (ASCENT) conference closed its door in Lusaka, Thursday, with a ray of hope for revolutionalising the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa).

After 30-years of existence-having transitioned from the Preferential Trade Area (PTA) which had existed from the earlier days of 1981 as a Regional Economic Bloc-to promote regional integration through trade and the development of natural and human resources for the mutual benefit of all people in the region, the economic bloc has grappled with energy sufficiency.

Despite its inception, collectively embracing over 21-member states under its ambit and having pioneered regional integration on the continent through a Free Trade Area (FTA) on 31 October 2000 and create trade barrier free trading bloc.

Incidentally, despite its Regional Economic Community (REC) on the continent, Comesa-the Lusaka-headquartered economic and trade power house it has grappled with a paltry 100,000MW, insufficient to drive the emerging digital world and wants partners to up its capacity to 300, 000MW and tap into its under-utilized renewable energy potential.

The three-day-planning meeting hosted by Zambia-June 3-6 at Ciela, was the ‘magic wand’ kick-starting its highly ambitious search for the much sought after project financing to embrace countries that lack enough energy to drive their economies as espoused by the founding fathers.

Under the auspices of the World Bank, a ray of hope for a whooping US$15 billion to revolutionalise and transform Comesa member-states and provide power to the more than 100 million people, devoid of the energy for health, cooking and other uses on the region, dawn is here.

World Bank World Bank Director of Regional Integration – Africa, Middle East and North Africa Ms. Boutheina Guermazi was apt on the ASCENT energy programme.

The Bretton Woods Institution focuses on the 16 African countries and ensure it provides resources to all eligible to access reliable and affordable energy as it support regional integration strategy for Africa, coming of age.

“It is essential to strengthen regional integration, giving boost to trade in goods and services, allowing digital transformation, attracting investments, and allowing faster flow of knowledge and innovations.”

Ms. Guermazi envisions, at the end of the road, the ASCENT program will help actualize the United Nations’ SDG7-provding universal access to electricity for all by 2030.

The Bretton Woods foresees the idea culminate into a flagship initiative, and a game changer, helping countries to provide electricity to 100 million people across Eastern and Southern Africa by 2030.

It includes support for expanding the national grid, providing distributed energy solutions, and increasing share of clean cookstoves.

The COMESA regional platform is expected to facilitate all stakeholders, governments, private sector, donors, and civil institutions to work together towards ASCENT program’s goal.

The World Bank seeks to work with various interest groups in seeing the realization of “fully lit-Comesa” by the close of the decade-2030.

Comesa Secretary General, Chileshe Mpundu throws her weight against the World Bank’s initiated ASCENT idea seeking to reach 100 million + people on the economic bloc to help them cook safely and access various forms of electricity besides hydro driven energy, under challenge from climate change.

“We have noted that provision of clean, affordable and reliable energy is a necessity to all and that clean cooking is one of the solutions to help women who bear the energy poverty.”

Noting the strong interest in the proposed Advisory Support Facility and the Project Preparation Facility, Ms. Kapwepwe lamented the “dripping” levels of investment flow in the energy sector in Africa compared to global levels citing among other barriers, the lack of a conducive policy and regulatory environment drive the agenda.

Arguably, she noted the Advisory Support Facility will support governments with planning and strategy development as well as implementation and enforcement.

It is argued that about 80% percent of projects die at project preparation stage and the emerging of the ASCENT is envisioned to support government entities and private sector with early project preparation.

The inclusion of digitalization in the economic transformation will act as enabler for energy access and accelerate energy efficiency and reduce costs associated with the planning and implementation process, which Comesa will superintend and fully support and ensure it succeed.

“COMESA Regional Facility will Support all ASCENT participating countries by facilitating identification and adoption of relevant digital tools for each country as well as deployment of the tools.”

She told delegates when she closed the event that attracted various lenders including Development and Trade Bank (DTB) of Nairobi.

Comesa is set its eyes on the future of the carbon markets and its capacity to generate Carbon finance for various green projects including energy access, estimated at $US$3 bln in the next 10 years. Providing technical Assistance to build capacity on carbon financing and trading are some of the key interventions from the ASCENT.

Women, heavily reliant on traditional biomass and has negative environmental and health effects on them also need lasting solutions and close the gap on the electricity shortfall. This shortfall has forced them to engage in income generating ventures.

“The Limited access of electricity to women impacts their ability to engage in income generating projects and household productivity. ”

Ms. Kapwepwe noted in awe, citing the ASCENT as game changer:

“The ASCENT program will therefore support mainstreaming gender in national and regional renewable and non-renewable energy development and distribution; and promote the active involvement of women in the development of energy policy.”

She reiterated Comesa’s unwavering desire to see the success of the ASCENT, given the overwhelming interests by benefiting countries to under-take conditional obligations to access the electricity to be provided expeditiously.

COMESA remains resolved to support to the hilt the success of the ASCENT programme and ensure it moves quickly for the benefit of the deserving member states that are ready to absorb the work in the shortest possible time.

Background:

ASCENT’s MPA will form an important part of the proposed Energy Transition and Access (ETA) Global Challenge Program (GCP), which is under development as a response to eight global challenges identified as priorities in the World Bank Evolution.

The ETA GCP will aim at increasing access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy by scaling up clean energy, phasing down fossil-fuel use, and supporting a just transition.

The ASCENT MPA consists of three Pillars, namely: Regional and National Platforms to Accelerate Energy Access, Expanding Grid Electrification, and Scaling Distributed Renewables and Clean Cooking Solutions.

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Credit: Comesa Secretariat