The 13th meeting of the Sectoral Council on Energy is underway in Arusha, Tanzania with the objective to review progress made in the energy sector and consider other issues of regional importance in the areas of new and renewable energy and energy conservation and efficiency, fossil fuels and power.
The five day meeting started with the Session of Senior Officials which will runs from October 15-17, 2018 t, and is to be followed by the Session of Permanent/Principal Secretaries responsible for energy that will take place from October 18, 2018. The meeting will be capped by the Ministerial Session on October 19, 2018.
The Session of Senior Officials is being chaired by Mrs. Cecilia Nakiranda Menya, the Ag. Commissioner Electrical in Uganda’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development. Mr. John Muhizi from Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and EAC is the Rapporteur.
Addressing the opening session, the Director of Productive Sectors Mr. Jean Baptiste Havugimana, on behalf of the Deputy Secretary General Productive and Social Sectors, welcomed the delegates to Arusha and said that the meeting could not be convened earlier as was planned in the EAC calendar of activities due tight and clashing schedules in Partner States.
He emphasized the need for EAC Partner States and the Secretariat to go an extra-mile moving forward to implement the Council directive of having two regular meetings of the Sectoral Council per year. This would allow to follow up on matters of the Sector that require urgent policy decision and guidance.