Online Reporter
Mukudzei Chingwere in Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe and the rest of the SADC region should speed up energy provision initiatives to maximise their economic potential, Vice President Dr Constantino Chiwenga has said.
Dr Chiwenga said this during the official opening of the 2026 SADC Sustainable Energy Week in Victoria Falls this morning.
He urged the region to seize the momentum created by a rapidly changing energy landscape to ensure it is not left behind in the fourth industrial revolution.
“The global energy system is undergoing structural transformation. Capital flows are shifting and supply chains are being reconfigured,” said VP Chiwenga.
“This high-level convergence clearly signals that the region is ready to move from dialogue to delivery,” said VP Chiwenga.
“Strategic and critical minerals are redefining the global geopolitics as we enter a fourth industrial revolution. Southern Africa must not be a spectator to this transition; we must shape it.
“I am gratified that this platform convenes policymakers, energy experts, academia, financiers, industry leaders and key stakeholders from across the region and beyond.
“This high-level convergence clearly signals that the region is ready to move from dialogue to delivery,” said VP Chiwenga.
SADC Executive Secretary Mr Elias Magosi said energy security and universal access remain fundamental enablers of regional integration, industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.
“The region’s total installed generation capacity currently stands at 83 055 MW, including 1 548 MW from our Oceanic Member States of Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles.
“While progress is clearly evident, we must continue to scale up investment, deepen regional cooperation and accelerate implementation to ensure that no Member State is left behind in our collective journey towards a resilient and energy-secure SADC,” said Mr Magosi.
Peter Tanyanyiwa