ALER starts activities in Angola and East Timor in 2016

ALER’s General Assembly gathered on December 9thapproved the Action Plan and Budget for 2016.

According to this strategic document, during 2016 ALER will start activities in two new Portuguese-speaking countries: Angola and East Timor. The choice of these two new countries is bound to the diversification of geographies and the size of the markets covered.

Angola is the largest Portuguese speaking African country with a highly developed energy sector but directed to Oil&Gas, despite the enormous renewable resources and recent developments in the electricity sector, which shows an interest in diversifying the energy matrix. This will be the biggest challenge for ALER and therefore it is expected that ALER´s initial activities may last longer than a year.

East Timor, despite being a small island country, is not a minor challenge, as it is the farthest country both geographically and culturally. The country gained special importance since they hold the presidency of the CPLP until July 2016 and, most important, the presidency of the newly constituted CPLP Energy Ministers Meeting until to the next meeting to be held in 2017. These were the main reasons to select it as a priority.

In addition to undertaking activities in two new countries, ALER set other priorities for 2016, namely:
 

• Consolidate activities in the previous priority countries (Cape Verde, Mozambique and Sao Tome and Principe);
• Increase ALER’s visibility and recognition as a relevant partner at national and international level;
• Continue to attract new Members and Sponsors, capitalizing the activities of 2015 and taking advantage of the services provided;
• Support the creation and promotion of the CPLP Energy Network.

We count on everyone’s support to implement another year of ambitious goals.