Company Announcement - The eighth annual Africa Energy Indaba, held on the 16th and 17th February, hosted almost 1000 delegates and was the highlight for those who attended the Sandton conference, exhibition and many side events which are hosted during “Africa Energy Indaba Week” every year. Various African Energy Ministers, including 50 global and continental energy luminaries attended the in-depth workshops, panel discussions and private leader’s dialogues in Johannesburg to decide and debate Africa’s energy future for the decades to come. The event was covered extensively in the African mainstream media, with front page headlines deliberating how Africa can overcome its enormous challenges in ensuring access to energy for all Africans.

The theme for the 2016 Africa Energy Indaba was “Energy – the key driver for Africa’s economic growth” and every aspect of the 2016 programme supported the growth and development ideals of Africa’s various energy sectors. For almost a decade, the annual Africa Energy Indaba has served as the connection point for investments into Africa's energy sectors catering to opportunities from small renewable energy projects to billion dollar utility tenders.

According to Brian Statham, Steering Committee Chair of the Africa Energy Indaba, the key messages coming out of the 2016 Africa Energy Indaba were:

• Cross-border energy flows that come from multi-national energy facilities will be essential for the future growth and development of African countries;
• A commitment was made by regional leaders to make real progress with the ZiZaBoNa interconnector;
• The African Union has a vital co-ordinating role to play in ensuring energy access for all Africans; and
• Governments must involve the private sector in planning and implementation, and in turn, the private sector must realise it has to have developmental goals in addition to pure commercial objectives.

Dr Christoph Frei, Secretary General of the World Energy Council, who also attended and actively participated at the Indaba, agreed with Mr Statham and added his key outcomes from the 2016 event: “What we have clearly heard during the 2016 edition of the Africa Energy Indaba is that, in a context of weak global economy and low commodity prices, it is for local demand to drive energy projects, including demand from cities. Regional integration projects will play a crucial role as they bring down capital requirements by as much as 30% as well as improvements in energy security, by combining supply schemes and increased resilience.”

This year’s premier African energy event included the launch of the Africa Gas Forum, the 3rd annual IPP PPA Conference and the second Women in Energy Conference, the World Bank International Finance Corporation’s ESCO Conference, Indaba Energy Leader’s Dialogue and SANEA’s Action for Energy seminar. The official side events were fully subscribed and have set the stage to expand the forums alongside the 2017 event.  The feedback received was exceptionally positive.

In addition the Africa Energy Indaba Week hosted:

• The 2nd Ministerial Trilemma Roundtable, with visiting ministerial and senior government representation from Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Ghana, Burundi, Chad, DRC Congo, Lesotho, Nigeria, as well as other high level energy officials from across Africa;
• The launch of the World Energy Council Shale Gas Report hosted by Dr Christoph Frei, Secretary-General, World Energy Council;
• The launch of the World Bank Global Tracking Framework Report;
• The Independent Evaluation Group panel discussion with Guang Zhe Chen, World Bank Country Director for: Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe, Africa Region;
• The European Union Energy Commission Electrifi Presentation Breakfast;
• The Productivity SA IMD Report Launch;
• Low Carbon Transport South Africa Dialogue, hosted by UNIDO;
• The 23rd World Energy Council Congress Cocktail Reception hosted by the Turkish Organising Committee;
• The World Energy Council Scenarios and Resources workshops; and

The support of the event’s strategic partners; the World Energy Council, the NEPAD Planning and Coordinating Agency, the South African National Energy Association and the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development were invaluable in assisting the Africa Energy Indaba’s raison d'être: to secure energy for all Africans by Africans.

“It is our key partnerships that set us apart from other energy events,” said Africa Energy Indaba managing director, Liz Hart. “With strategic partnerships with the World Energy Council, the NEPAD Planning & Coordinating Agency and the South African National Energy Association, we have the highest level of endorsement of any energy event on the continent. This means our agenda and programme are set by the most powerful and strategic energy players on the continent,” said Hart.

Africa Energy Indaba has focused on developing content and co-ordinating the presentation of the programme so it can be strategically navigated by each delegate, according to their specific field of interest. The more interactive panel discussions during breakaway sessions as well as enhanced networking opportunities and cocktail events are designed to support our clients and the current challenges that they face. Work has already begun on the 9th annual Africa Energy Indaba, which will be hosted at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg from the 21 - 22 February 2017.