Africa’s Infrastructure Ministers set to launch African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM)

The First extra-ordinary meeting of the Specialized Technical Committee on Transport, Intercontinental and Interregional Infrastructures, Energy and Tourism (STC-TTIIET) will be held from 14-15 December 2020 virtually, under the theme Africa’s Infrastructure Priorities 2020-2030.

Organized by the African Union Commission (AUC) in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the African Development Bank (AfDB), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the STC-TTIIET eyes at validating the priority list of projects for the Second Phase of the Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA-PAP2).

PIDA PAP2 includes 73 potential regional infrastructure projects in the Energy, Transport, Trans-Boundary Water, and ICT sectors which have been prioritized from a long list of over 240 projects proposed by sectoral experts from the Member States, Regional Economic Communities, and Specialized Institutions.

The list along with strategic documents namely PIDA PAP2 implementation strategy, financing strategy, and partnership strategy will be submitted to the Assembly of the African Union Heads of State and Government in February 2021, for adoption.

Ahead of the Meeting H.E. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy at the African Union Commission, said “The STC-TEIIET is an important juncture as it sets Africa’s infrastructure priorities for the next decade.”

According to the commissioner, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has further accentuated the need for Africa to focus on inclusive and sustainable infrastructure development.

“The pandemic has demonstrated that Africa’s infrastructure needs to prepare for massive calamities and reverse the devastating impacts of future catastrophes, as this would not be the last one.

We have both the instruments and the determination to make this happen. It is now high time to join hands to make the best out of our infrastructure development programs”.

The session, among others, is also expected to discuss and validate the policy, roadmap, and governance structure of the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM).

AfSEM is anticipated to be launched in February 2021 during the African Union Assembly of the Heads of State and Government.

AfSEM’s first phase is projected to be achieved as early as 2023 and is expected to go fully operational by 2040.

The STC-TIIIET also provides a platform to follow-up on the implementation of the of the ‘COVID-19 Emergency Action Plan for Resilience and Recovery, which was adopted by the Bureau of the STC in May 2020.

The emergency action plan sets out priority measures for African Union, its Member States and Partners to adequately respond to the COVID-19 pandemic at the short, medium and long-terms.

Ministers responsible for energy, transport, Transboundary Water, ICT and tourism as well as the experts from AU Member States, African Union (AU), Specialised Institutions, International Organizations, development partners will attend this high-level event.

Preceded by the Experts’ meeting, which kicks on the 14th of December, the Ministers’ meeting will take place on the 15th December 2020.

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