Ethiopia working to realize regional integration through sustainable power supply: Ministry

Addis Ababa, September 29, 2020 (FBC) – Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Dr. Seleshi Bekele, while participating at GEIDCO’s international video conference, expressed Ethiopia’s readiness to cement regional economic integration and cooperation with hydroelectric power supply.

Ethiopia as member of Global Energy Interconnection Development and Cooperation Organization (GEIDCO) is committed to back the regional economic network through green and clean electrification access, he said.
He called on African Nations to mobilize resources and cement regional cooperation to integrate Africa through power development.

Formation of an African sub-committee has a crucial role to strengthen the South-to- South Power Network among nations in the continent.

Shortage of power access poses socio economic challenges in day to day lives of Africans in causing poor services in heath, education and potable water sectors, Dr. Seleshi said, calling nations to forge cooperation to alleviate the communal bottlenecks and transform livelihoods of people of the continent through improved electric power access.

Ethiopia has been undertaking various activities under the framework of the National Electrification Program to meet the 2025 global electric access standard and increase its power generation capacity from 4,413 Mega Watt in to 20,000 MW during the years coming.

Dr. Getahun said the country is working hard to meet to the rising energy demand with affordable, dependable, sustainable and up-to-date power supply.

He stressed that Africa should tap its immense hydro, solar, geothermal and wind energy potentials to boost the investment sector with ample power supply.

Ethiopia is exerting efforts to realize regional integration that will add an impetus to the social and economic growth in the Eastern African nations by making Kenya, Eritrea, South Sudan and Somalia its next power export destinations in addition to Djibouti and the Sudan, the Water, Irrigation and Energy Minister added.