Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is set to officiate at the 2026 Southern African Development Community Sustainable Energy Week, which will be held in Victoria Falls from February 23 to 27, 2026.
The SADC Secretariat confirmed that the official opening on Monday next week will be graced by President Mnangagwa alongside the SADC Executive Secretary, Ministers responsible for Energy from Member States, and high-level representatives from international, regional and national institutions, as well as the private sector and development partners.
The event is being jointly hosted by the Ministry of Energy and Power Development and the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.
This year’s conference will be held under the theme: “Driving Regional Economic Growth Through Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency.”
In a press release issued yesterday, the SADC Secretariat said: “The five-day event is expected to be officiated by President Mnangagwa, alongside the SADC Executive Secretary, ministers responsible for energy and high-level representatives,” reads the statement.
Botswana hosted the inaugural SEW in February last year and subsequently directed the SADC Secretariat and its subsidiary institutions to support Zimbabwe in hosting the 2026 edition.
“The inaugural SADC SEW was held in Gaborone, Botswana, from February 24 to 28, 2025, culminating in 18 actionable recommendations that have since been incorporated into the operational plans of the SADC Secretariat and SACREEE,” reads the statement.
Key recommendations from the 2025 conference included achieving universal energy access as a foundation for economic growth and development, strengthening private sector participation in addressing regional energy challenges, implementing innovative financing mechanisms, including the mobilisation of pension funds and insurance portfolios, the establishment of dedicated energy funds and prioritising local manufacturing of renewable energy components to reduce import dependency and stimulate job creation.
Building on this momentum, the 2026 edition in Victoria Falls will place particular emphasis on critical areas supporting the region’s energy transition.
“These include policy and regulatory frameworks, enabling environments, innovative and blended financing solutions, grid integration, energy efficiency, renewable energy technologies, clean cooking solutions, and energy storage,” reads the statement.
The SEW is a premier regional platform to promote investment, partnerships and innovation in the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors across the entire energy value chain.
