SADC and regional energy security: a dream deferred?



Friday 16 August 2013 17:28
Fundamental to African countries’ developmental future is the generation of adequate energy writes Kenny Dlamini.

SADC and regional energy security: a dream deferred?

Friday 16 August 2013 17:28

Kenny Dlamini, IGD research assistant

Energy security will come under the spotlight at the SADC Summit starting on Saturday.(SABC)

Tags:

• SADC
• Emerging economies
• Kenny Dlamini

According to Cheikh Anta Diop in Black Africa: The Economic and Cultural Basis for a Federated State, published in 1974 made the point that fundamental to African countries’ developmental future is the generation of adequate energy.

This matter will be on the agenda of the SADC Summit of Heads of States and Governments in Lilongwe, Malawi, on 17-18 August 2013. Taking place shortly after the Regional Infrastructure Investment Conference in Mozambique on 27 June 2013, the Summit is expected to find ways to implement the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan (RIDMP) launched in 2012.

This article intends to highlight the need for a strong integrated energy policy within the SADC region to implement the RIDMP.

The RIDMP is expected to run until 2027, and is to be implemented in three phases, i.e. short term (2013-2017), medium term (2017-2022), and long term (2022-2027). It is envisaged that the master plan will benefit SADC member states in different aspects of development including building roads, rails and ports. The energy division is one of the prioritized sectors and falls under the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan Energy Sector Plan (ESP) 2012.

Energy is a critical component in any development plan as it underpins our socio-economic growth. Currently, shortage of energy supply, lack of infrastructure to generate power (electricity) and the need to increase multilateral trade in the region’s energy market continue to hinder socio-economic development within SADC. As a result, most member states experience regular power crisis and blackouts. These problems cannot be solved until mechanisms to implement and foster regional integrated energy policy are put in
place.

There have been some efforts in addressing these energy challenges and electricity blackouts, through agreements and policy documents that are continually signed by member states to create a beneficial environment for energy trade and relations within the region, yet these kinds of efforts have yet to yield practical results of indisputable energy cooperation in the region.

For more, read the full paper here