- In August 2024, GCIP leadership attended the high-profile Energy Forum for Zambia, where they connected with the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Peter Mumba, and other senior members of Zambia’s energy sector.
- The forum was hosted by the Ministry of Energy Zambia and the guest of honour was His Excellency Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia.
- GCIP’s attendance increased awareness of, and interest in, the programme’s work to strengthen the climate resilience of Zambia’s energy sector.
How will Africa power itself in the coming decades? On paper, the question is easy to answer: the continent is blessed with an abundance of natural resources, from the metals needed for next-generation batteries to some of the sunniest cities on Earth. In reality, however, African states face major hurdles in harnessing clean, renewable energy. Climate change, gaps in energy access and a complex mosaic of policies and regulations all threaten a sustainable future for the continent.
The challenges and opportunities of African energy were centre stage at the Energy Forum for Africa, a high-profile event promoting investment opportunities and sustainable solutions for Africa’s energy sector. Held in Lusaka, Zambia, on 14–16 August 2024, the forum was hosted by the Ministry of Energy Zambia. The guest of honour was His Excellency Hakainde Hichilema, President of the Republic of Zambia, who gave the presidential opening to the 200 delegates.
The themes of the forum were especially relevant for Zambia, one of the Green Cities and Infrastructure Programme (GCIP)’s Deep Offer Countries, where over four-fifths of the country’s energy comes from hydropower. But with climate change causing lakes to dry up, there is an urgent need for the Government of Zambia to diversify energy generation. GCIP is supporting this diversification, as well as the country’s long-term climate resilience, by improving the finance sources and procurement processes for government energy projects, with an emphasis on projects other than hydropower.
As part of this mission, GCIP leadership attended the Energy Forum for Africa, sharing a booth with Cities and Infrastructure for Growth Zambia, an FCDO-funded programme. GCIP attended keynote speeches on topics relevant to its work in Zambia, including integrated resource plan and implementation road maps, open access frameworks, and energy regulations and licensing in Zambia.
The forum also served as a valuable networking opportunity, allowing GCIP to reconnect with the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Peter Mumba; meet the Managing Director of Zesco (Zambia’s national power utility), Eng. Victor Mapani; and arrange a meeting with Clement Chiwele, Director of the Office for Promoting Private Power Investment. GCIP leadership also had positive engagements with senior representatives of Globeleq and GET FiT. These meetings increased awareness of, and interest in, GCIP’s work to shore up the climate resilience of Zambia’s energy sector.
