Chronicle Editor
Oliver Kazunga, Acting Business Editor
THE Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) is developing a regulatory framework to play an oversight role for the electricity sector in the region to enhance power trading on the continent.
Comesa is a regional bloc comprising 21 member countries among them, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Swaziland, Seychelles, Lesotho, Madagascar, Egypt, Eritrea, Kenya, Mauritius, and Rwanda.
In a statement, Comesa through its Regional Association of Energy Regulators for Eastern and Southern Africa (RAERESA) said:
“RAERESA is developing a framework which will act as the regulatory oversight for the electricity sector in the region.
“The association believes the framework will help control the area and enhance the efficiency of regional power trading on the continent.”
As a way of moving the process, Comesa/RAERESA has conducted a regional consultative workshop for the study to develop a framework for regulatory oversights for the regional electricity market in Eastern and Southern Africa and the Indian ocean region under the European Union (EU)-funded Enhancement of Sustainable Regional Energy Markets (ESREM) project.
The energy workshop, which was held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania last week, was attended by members of the regional power pools, regulatory agencies, regional centres of renewable energy and energy efficiency.
Comesa Secretariat energy economist Mr Chileshe Malama, who represented the organisation at the workshop was quoted as saying formulation of the framework was important as it would help regulate the regional energy markets.
He said energy plays a critical role in developing the region and significant investments have taken place in the sector, resulting in many ongoing projects in power generation and transmission.
“A regional framework is required to facilitate regional power trading as it would provide requirements and guidelines for handling the various issues that would arise at regional level,” said Mr Malama.
Tanzania’s senior energy officer in the Ministry of Energy Mr Emillian Nyanda who officially opened the workshop indicated that the outcome of the workshop would help the Comesa-EAC-Sadc region to develop and grow its energy production and market.
The EU-Tanzania delegation head of natural resources Ms Jenny Correia Nunes indicated that the goal of the €7 million ESREM project was to promote a regional energy market, with the dual objectives of attracting investment and encourage sustainable development. — @okazunga
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