News from the Africa-EU Energy Partnership

The African Union - European Union Energy Partnership (AEEP) marked last year a decade of successful cooperation and significant achievements in the energy sector between Africa and Europe.

The results are available in the AEEP Status report 2017-2018, where AEEP provides a final update on the progress made towards achieving the set targets as well as future perspectives in terms of harmonisation, but also innovative next steps.

Among other initiatives of AEEP, stands out the Youth Programme, a theme that remains at the centre of EU and Africa cooperation agenda, and aims to give voice and to ensure the inclusion of youth in all its activities and the AEEP mapping website, which consists in the digital mapping of energy initiatives and programmes in Africa, ensuring a continuously updated database that is easily accessible and contribute to the coordination agenda in the sector thereby leverage synergies and address key gaps in the market.

It is also important to highlight the Africa-EU Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme (RECP) which is part of the AEEP and with which ALER is currently renegotiating the continuation of a cooperation agreement to support the promotion of renewable energy markets in Portuguese-speaking countries.

RECP has recently reopened the Finance Catalyst, that had reached its capacity limit in November 2017, but based on additional funding from the European Commission and the German Federal Government, has officially opened for business again in January 2018. Applications are open and can be accessed here.

RECP, in cooperation with ARE and RES4Africa will also organize the 4th ARE Energy Access Investment Forum 2018 between 13 and 15 March in Sicily, Italy.

Check here the full newsletter.