Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe, Zimpapers Business Hub
Zimbabwe aims to leverage its position as host of the 8th International Solar Alliance Regional Committee Meeting for Africa in Victoria this August to showcase its expanding renewable energy portfolio and attract fresh investment into its clean energy sector.
Energy and Power Development Minister July Moyo said that this prominent event will allow African energy ministers, development partners and international stakeholders to see firsthand Zimbabwe’s advancements in electricity access and renewable energy initiatives under the Second Republic.
Officially at the Majindane Primary School electrification ceremony in Nyamandlovu, Matabeleland North Province on Saturday, Minister Moyo said the conference would clarify misconceptions regarding Zimbabwe’s development achievements, especially in the energy sector.
Rural electrification has become a key pillar of inclusive development, with schools, clinics, business centres, irrigation schemes and community water projects being prioritised for connection to the national grid.
“When we go to international conferences, because we had been isolated, under sanctions, these figures that we are doing are not known internationally,” he said.
“And when we tell them that Zimbabwe has done this, they almost think that we are liars. It is only when they come here and see what we are doing that they start to realise this is a serious business.”
The minister said the ISA meeting would give delegates from across the continent an opportunity to tour projects and assess Zimbabwe’s progress in renewable energy development.
“As a result, this year in August in this Province (Matabeleland North) the whole of Africa is coming to attend a conference called the International Solar Alliance,” said Minister Moyo.
“All the ministers of energy will have an opportunity to go around and see what we have been doing here in Zimbabwe.”
The conference will bring together Government officials, energy experts, financiers and development partners to assess progress in solar energy deployment in Africa and seek opportunities for increased investment in renewable energy infrastructure.
Zimbabwe’s selection as the host city aligns with its efforts to diversify its energy mix through solar development, independent power projects, rural electrification, and clean energy technology investments.
Hosting this event is seen as a vote of confidence in Zimbabwe’s evolving role in regional energy development and its commitment to sustainable energy access.
Minister Moyo noted that the conference would enhance Zimbabwe’s international standing and showcase the country’s development progress.
“As a result of the leadership of President Mnangagwa, there is no surprise that 182 out of 190 countries voted for us to sit in the United Nations Security Council; it is because of the work that all of us are doing,” he said.
Zimbabwe was recently confirmed as host of the 8th International Solar Alliance Regional Committee Meeting for
Africa following a preparatory mission by an ISA delegation.
Established at the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21), the International Solar Alliance, led by India and France, aims to expedite global deployment of solar energy. It now includes over 100 member countries, primarily from Africa.
For Zimbabwe, hosting the summit is a key opportunity to showcase its renewable energy potential to investors and development financiers interested in Africa’s burgeoning clean energy sector.
The Government has increasingly prioritised renewable energy as a fundamental part of its strategy, promoting solar projects to enhance electricity supply, strengthen energy security, and support industrialisation.
Industry experts suggest that the conference could foster new partnerships and financing for solar initiatives while elevating Zimbabwe’s profile as a developing renewable energy investment hub.
As regional energy demand rises, the ISA gathering is expected to position Zimbabwe as a focal point in discussions about Africa’s shift toward cleaner, more sustainable energy systems.
