Dr Mohamed Shaker El Markab, Minster of Electricity and Renewable Energy in Egypt, highlighted various recent achievements made in both heavy energy infrastructure and renewable energy that have enabled Egypt to generate more than 25,000.00MW in four years (more than the total power generated by all African countries south of the Sahara, with the exception of South Africa). The country will also be completing, in four months’ time, the largest solar power station in the world.

Dr Ibrahim Mayaki and Dr Mohamed Shaker El Markab, Minster of Electricity and Renewable Energy in Egypt signing minutes of the cooperation meeting on energy

The Minister was speaking during a meeting with the CEO of the African Union Development Agency-NEPAD, Dr Ibrahim Mayaki, who was accompanied by Senior Advisors at the Agency, Prof Mosad Elmissiry and Prof Tandeka Nkiwane in Cairo, Egypt, on May 8, to discuss potential areas of cooperation.

The meeting commenced with Dr Mayaki introducing AUDA-NEPAD and its new mandate as the Development Agency of the African Union, elucidating various areas of cooperation.

Dr Mohamed Shaker El Markab expressed interest in the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy to assist, whenever possible, African countries in the development and implementation of not only energy infrastructure, but also renewable projects and to make available experiences and lessons learned.

The meeting ended with the signing of a document which lists areas of cooperation between AUDA-NEPAD and the Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy in Egypt, as follows:

1. The development and implementation of a continental transmission network;
2. The provision of clean energy to African countries with minimal access to electricity through the development and installation of micro /mini grid systems;
3. Establishment of an AUDA-NEPAD Centre of Excellence in Renewable Energy in Cairo, with the prime objective of the provision of technical assistance and capacity development to African countries in the renewable energy project development and implementation;
4. The development of the Cairo to Cape Integrated Corridor, with the transmission lines it requires to transfer power to meet the development of the integrated corridor.

Dr Mayaki further proposed that the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, H.E Abdel Fattah el-Sisi should champion the AUDA-NEPAD flagship strategic programme on the development and implementation of the Continental Transmission Network. This will build upon the extensive experience of Egypt in the development and implementation of transmission networks, as well as building upon the strong commitment of Egypt to play its role in the further development of the African continent.

The Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy agreed to cooperate with AUDA-NEPAD in the above-listed areas and provide the necessary technical support as required. It was further agreed that a joint working group will meet and conclude the details of the cooperation.