Renewable energy partnerships for poverty eradication and sustainable development in Africa

Duration: 2004 – 2005 ● Client: European Commission (FP6) ● WIP Role: Coordination Policy development, Communication and Dissemination ● www.partners4africa.org

The objective of the Partners For Africa project, coordinated by WIP Renewable Energies, was to demonstrate the role of renewable energy in poverty eradication and to offer support to policy making activities in sustainable resource management, health and public health, and enterprise development. The project supported and stimulated activities of the European Energy Initiative for Poverty Eradication and Sustainable Development (EU EI).

International and local partnerships of three essential types have been mobilised to support policy making: Policy Partnerships, Programme Partnerships and Action Partnerships. Policy Partnerships support the development of progressive energy policy initiatives directly through research activities and stakeholder networking. Programme partnerships initiate and support training and capacity building initiatives. Action Partnerships lay the foundations for concrete projects including pilot projects.

Tools for the mobilisation of partnerships included the organisation of meetings, the financing of travel expenses for meetings and workshops, newsletters, and other information networking services. Notably, three workshops were organised in three African countries (South Africa, Senegal, Zambia), to support this activity.

The Partners For Africa consortium comprised 6 highly competent actors from African and European countries, active in the renewable energy and international development fields. The Partners For Africa project was co-financed by the European Commission in the 6th Framework Programme - Specific Measures in Support of International Cooperation (INCO).