On September 27, the African Energy Interconnection Development Thematic Forum of the 2023 Global Energy Interconnection Conference was held in Beijing. The Forum was co-organized by the Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO), the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co., Ltd., and China International Contractors Association (CHINCA). The Forum aims to build bridges, pool strength, promote African energy projects and help Africa advance industrialization and modernization.
Wu Xuan, Secretary General of GEIDCO, Antonio M.A. Pedro, Acting Executive Secretary of the UNECA, and João Samuel CAHOLO, Executive Secretary of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region, attended the Forum and delivered speeches.
Wu Xuan said that Africa is rich in energy and mineral resources, making it the most promising region for development in the world. Accelerating clean energy development and power infrastructure construction in Africa is of great significance and has broad prospects. The GEIDCO has long been concerned about and actively contributing to Africa's energy transition and sustainable development. It has published a series of important achievements, and established close partnerships with local international organizations, governments and enterprises. Going ahead, the GEIDCO is willing to continue playing its role as a platform, think tank and service provider, integrate resources and pool strength, so as to contribute greater value to high-quality cooperation in building the Belt and Road Initiative and the China-Africa community with a shared future.
Speeches were delivered by many guests, including TELLA Abel Didier, Director General of the Association of Power Utilities of Africa, Yohannes Hailu, Energy Policy and Economic Affairs Officer of UNECA, Serigne Bassirou Diene, Senior Economic Advisor in the Office of the UN Special Envoy for the Great Lakes, James Karari Wahogo, Secretary General of the Eastern Africa Power Pool, Selemani Khamissi, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Hydraulics, Energy and Mines of Burundi, Jim Mugunga, Executive Director of the Public Private Partnerships Unit of the Ministry of Finance Planning & Economic Development of Uganda, Joseph Kalowekamo, Director of Energy Service of Ministry of Energy of Malawi, and Andiseya Phiri, Acting Director of Public Private Partnership Departments of Zambia. They introduced the basic situation of electricity development in Africa and their own countries, key public-private partnership projects and supporting policies for investment and operation.
Wu Jing, Chief Engineer of Development and Planning Department of State Grid Corperation of China, Yang Guo, Chief Finance Officer of China Electric Power Equipment and Technology Co., Ltd., Yao Danbo, Secretary-General of CHINCA, Xu Jianglong, VP of POWERCHINA International Group Limited, Zhang Yibin, Deputy Director of the Development Bureau of GEIDCO, and other senior representatives of Chinese enterprises and institutions shared their experience in new energy development and platform tools. They also introduced the investment and construction achievements of energy and power projects in Africa, and put forward suggestions on future cooperation.
The Forum was held online and offline. It gathered more than 500 attendees from international organizations, government departments, enterprises, institutions and university think tanks. These guests included Vincent Kitio, Chief of the Urban Energy Unit at the Global Solutions Division of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, and Monganeli Mehlwana, Senior Economic Advisor of the UNECA.
