TOPIC: Elaboration of energy generation and distribution infrastructures

SPONSOR: Mozambique, Zambia

SIGNATORIES: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania

The Pan-African Parliament, 

Reaffirming its commitment to the fulfilment of the Agenda 2063 in order to eradicate extreme poverty in the African continent,

Welcoming the adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 7 “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all” in 2015,

Deeply concerned about the fact that a significant percentage of the continent’s population have no access to electricity,

Welcoming the recent establishment of several national, rural electrification agencies within the member states of the African Union promoting the extension of national electrical power grids,

Deploring the fact that several member states of the African Union suffer under foreign debts which undermine the African countries’ capacity to invest and improve own basic infrastructures,

Convinced that the access to affordable and reliable energy is crucial to fulfil the goals set in the Agenda 2063 such as the preservation of the Environment and the connection of Africa by world-class infrastructure,

Fully aware that the combustion of biological resources accelerates deforestation and increases the emission of greenhouse gasses further accelerating global warming,

Encourages all Member States to increase their efforts to expand their electric grid by measures such as the construction of high voltage power lines with special focus on the accessibility of electricity in rural areas while further recommending the adoption of at least 60% national electricity coverage until 2026 as a national target for all member states by

  • recommending to evaluate the possibility of power access by means of decentralized power networks since grid solutions are often not feasible in remote areas
  • mobilising human, material and financial resources in order to provide the African governments with the necessary means to implement above measures
  • sparing no efforts to sensitize their Parliament and work in cooperation with the Executive in order to achieve these goals
  1. Asks all Member States to take adequate actions to ensure the maintenance and security of the electricity infrastructure by
  • increasing efforts to achieve interconnection of national power grids in order to ensure energy security and stable power networks;
  • ensuring that the cooperation across borders includes adequate measures to counteract the theft of grid infrastructure material due to its harmful impact on grid stability in extensive areas
  1. Encourages African states to strengthen their cooperation at the sub-regional, regional and continental level in the area of electricity, notably through the sharing of information, experiences and skills so as to join their efforts to support the member states with technical expertise by
  • creating an agency providing technical expertise to the member states
  • implementing capacity building programmes in infrastructurally underdeveloped and remote regions for the maintenance and operation of energy facilities
  1. Asks all member states to increase renewable energy production to
  • a minimum share of 20% of the national energy production of each member state,
  • and by a minimum increase of at least 10% compared to 2016, by 2035;
  1. Recommends enhancing renewable energy supply in rural areas through small-scale energy generation plants such as, but not limited to, small hydro plants as mini- or off-grid solution by using sustainable and renewable resources;
  1. Suggests the further implementation of additional education campaigns in order to improve knowledge about advantages, function and usage of small, off-grid power plants among the population in underdeveloped and remote regions and thus to protect by informing the population in rural areas highly using biomass for heating and cooking aiming at improving health conditions through promoting renewable energies;
  1. Invites the African Development Bank and Trust Funds, such as, but not limited to, the Friends of the Global Fund Africa to support the recommended infrastructure programmes and suggested education campaigns;
  1. Endorses all member states in deepening their cooperation with private investors for expansion of infrastructure;
  1. Urges all member states to clarify which efforts and concrete projects will be undertaken by their governments regarding grid capacity in order to counter concerns by possible investors
  1. Asks all member states to put in place energy tariff structures that secure the overall cost recovery of the energy producers or establish other financial mechanisms to enhance the creditworthiness of institutional buyers;
  1. Requests all member states to develop a transparent, national legal framework in regard to infrastructure and education programmes in order to enhance credibility for investment;