DEPUTY Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy, responsible for electricity and renewable energy, Dr Khatibu Kazungu has said Tanzania is pretty prepared to host the upcoming energy summit, which will bring together 53 African heads of State.

The summit is scheduled to take place on January 27 and 28 in Dar es Salaam.

Dr Kazungu made the remarks over the weekend in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE) during the 15th Assembly of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) Council, where he presented a paper during a high-profile ministerial discussion.

The session aimed to explore how member countries can leverage their influence to encourage development partners to allocate funding for renewable energy projects that are environmentally sustainable.

“Tanzania is honoured to host this crucial energy summit, and as a country, we are fully committed to ensuring that 300 million people in sub-Saharan Africa have access to electricity by 2030. I call on IRENA member countries to adopt this agenda and take meaningful action,” Dr Kazungu said.

He further explained that the ‘Mission 300 Summit’ will focus on energy sector reforms and explore ways to secure funding for projects aimed at connecting consumers, promoting private sector involvement in joint projects, and encouraging the use of clean cooking energy solutions.

Dr Kazungu also highlighted that the theme of the summit will centre on accelerating energy access in Africa, with the goal of bringing electricity to the 685 million Africans who, out of a total population of one billion, still lack access to power.

Additionally, Dr Kazungu revealed that the government has revised its investment laws to create opportunities for the private sector to partner with the government in the implementation of renewable energy projects, recognising their critical importance.

He expressed gratitude to development partners, including the World Bank (WB), the African Development Bank (AfDB), the German development bank-KfW, and the French development bank-AFD for their ongoing support in financing various renewable energy initiatives in Tanzania.

These include the Kakono and Malagarasi projects, which are currently under implementation.

Kevin Kariuki, Vice President for Power, Energy, Climate Change and Green Growth at AfDB, who also supports renewable energy projects in Africa, emphasised the need for political will and clear policy frameworks to ensure the successful implementation of energy projects that will benefit African populations.

He urged African nations to seize the opportunity to implement environmentally friendly energy solutions to combat climate change, reduce carbon emissions, and called on the international community to provide concrete support for the agenda.