Press Release No: P002/18/AFREC

Algiers, Algeria 27 March 2018: The African Energy Commission (AFREC) in the celebration of the 10 Years anniversary organize the first workshop in 2018 in collaboration with the International Energy Agency (IEA) and Algerian Ministry of Energy organized training workshop on "Energy Statistics and Residential Sector Energy Efficiency Data collections”.

The workshop was attended by 45 participants from 17 countries from West African countries and francophone North African countries AfDB and UNIDO Algeria offices.

AFREC in the last ten years trained more than 450 African energy experts on renewable energy technologies and collection of energy statistics and energy efficiency data through the organization of around 50 workshops.

H.E Dr. Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy at the African Union Commission was invited to address the celebration of the 10 Years anniversary and the official opening of the workshop.

Dr. Quadrelli, Head of Delegation of the team of the International Energy Agency (IEA), thanked AFREC and the Government of Algeria for hosting this workshop and inviting the IEA. She re-affirmed the Agency commitment to continue the long-standing cooperation on energy statistics, now with the enhanced ambition to develop energy efficiency data. Better data will be beneficial for countries, first, and then for the international energy community.

Dr. Quadrelli highlighted that Africa is one of the most important regions for energy development and certainly one where the Agency will prioritize its efforts to support data capacity progress. She was pleased of the joint attendance of energy balances and energy efficiency statistics focal points, and stressed that the cooperation among institutions at the national level will be a key to success.

Mr. Djouabri, Representative of H.E Mr. Mustapha Guitouni, Minister of Energy People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria highlighted the importance of the workshop for developing the capacity building of the AFREC focal points and Africa energy information system in particular.

Mr. Djouabri, briefed about the renewable energy and energy efficiency programme in Algeria and appreciated the work done by AFREC especially on energy statistic and energy efficiency.

Dr. Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy at the African Union Commission thanked the Government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria for hosting this workshop and thanked the International Energy Agency (IEA) for its invaluable work and usual support to AFREC for developing capacities of the African Expertise. Dr. Abou-Zeid, highlighted the importance of the African Energy Information System to develop energy planning and policymaking in the continent. She reiterated on the importance of the energy efficiency as the key for ensuring a safe, reliable, affordable and sustainable energy system for the future.

Dr. Abou-Zeid, also highlighted some issues concerning the Political Position of Africa. These issues mainly focused on having a universal access to modern energy services, especially electricity, the energy poverty, the renewable energy resources in the continent and the importance to exploit the huge continental renewable energy potential to increase the percentage of the energy access in the African continent.

Dr. Abou-Zeid, handed over Trophy to the representative of the IEA and Mr. Jean Garnier, energy expert in the occasion of the celebration of the 10 years Anniversary of AFREC and announced at the end of the opening session that the workshop is officially opened.

For more Information:
Mr. Atef MARZOUK, Interim Executive Director of African Energy Commission (AFREC)
E-mail: marzouka@africa-union.org Website: www.afrec-energy.org Algiers, Algeria
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