About Us

AFREC was officially launched in February 17th, 2008, in Algiers, at the end of a conference of African Ministers in charge of Energy.

It is only in 1980 that African countries have actually realized the worrisome energy situation of the African continent. For the first time ever, the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the OAU, meeting in Lagos (Nigeria) in April 1980, adopted a plan called the "Lagos Plan of Action (LPA)", in which the main energy problems undergone by Africa had been identified and actions to remedy such a situation had been proposed for the short, medium and long terms. To ensure the implementation of the LPA, the Assembly perceived the urgent need to set up a proper institutional framework and hence endorsed the recommendation relating to the urgent establishment of the African Energy Commission. The African Energy Commission is an African continental body in charge of ensuring, coordinating and harmonizing the:

protection,
conservation,
development,
rational exploitation,
marketing and mainstreaming of energy resources on the African continent.

Besides, the major role played by energy and its invaluable contribution to industrialization, fight against poverty, rural planning and sustainable development as well as regional and sub-regional cooperation and integration is self-evident.

Following the relevant decision taken by the Summit meeting in Lagos, the UNDP in collaboration with OAU and ECA, carried out in 1984-1985 a study which recommended the creation of the African Energy Commission in order to promote common initiatives liable to support decisively the efforts made to resolve African energy problems. The recommendations of the AUO Heads of State and Government and UNDP study have never been implemented. Subsequently, the pan-African high authorities have reaffirmed and advocated the creation, without delay, of a strategic inter-African cooperation instrument in the field of energy.

Such appeals have been reiterated mainly in:

The Treaty establishing the African Economic Community (AEC), Abuja, June 1991;
The first Pan African Conference of Energy Ministers (Tunis, May 1995).
The Cairo Program of Action (June 1995).
The first and second regional conferences of Ministers responsible for the development and utilization of mineral and energy resources in Africa (Accra, 1995, Durban November 1997).
The African Energy Program of the African Development Bank (Abidjan 1995).

Foundation

The 63rd Ordinary Session of the OAU Council of Ministers held in Addis Ababa in February 1996 and the 2nd regional conference on the development of mineral resources and energy held in Durban, in November 1997 have both urged the OAU in close collaboration with ADB, ECA and RECs to undertake and speed up prefeasibility studies on the creation of the African Energy Commission, with a particular focus on its role, mandate, structure and financial resources.

The OAU has spared no effort in fulfilling this high and lofty responsibility.

The General Secretariat of the AUO carried out the prefeasibility study following extensive consultations with its partners, the Regional Economic Communities, the African Development Bank, the World Energy Council, UPEDEA and other institutions dealing with Energy such as UNEP, UNDP, UNDESA, UNIDO, FAO and UNESCO.

Following the consultations, the OAU organized a meeting that gathered all these institutions, and a report entitled "Proposal of the OAU General Secretariat on the Creation of the African Energy Commission AFREC" was adopted.

Subsequently, the OAU in close cooperation with the Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt, convened and organized "The African Energy Experts Meeting for the creation of the African Energy Commission”, Cairo, 22 - 25 May, 2000. This Expert meeting recommended the immediate creation of the African Energy Commission. It worked out and adopted a “Draft Convention of the African Energy commission (AFREC)”.

History

After taking cognizance of the progress made in the establishment of AFREC, the OAU Council of Ministers meeting in Tripoli in February 2001 requested the OAU to take the necessary arrangements for the organization of a Conference of Ministers in charge of Energy in view of adopting « AFREC draft Convention » as well as other instruments required for the speedy establishment of the Commission.

The Conference of African Energy Ministers for the creation of the African Energy (AFREC) was organized by the OAU and hosted by Algeria in April 23 -24, 2001.

Following its deliberations, the Algiers Conference of Energy Ministers adopted the following main recommendations, and decided to submit them to the 37th OAU Summit of Heads of State and Government held in Lusaka (Zambia) from 9 to 11 July 2001, for endorsement:

The Convention for the creation of the African Energy Commission is adopted;
The Headquarters of the Commission called AFREC is established in Algiers;
The OAU Secretary General, in close cooperation and consultation with Algeria, shall take the necessary measures to set up the interim structure and recruit the required staff for the speedy establishment of AFREC;
The OAU General Secretariat shall contribute partially to the annual budget of the interim structure during the first four years;
The Member States have been invited to contribute voluntarily to the financing of the interim structure.

The 37th OAU Summit consequently endorsed all the recommendations submitted by the conference of the African Energy Ministers (Algiers 23 - 24 April, 2001) and adopted to this effect Decision AHD/Dec 167 (XXXVII) on the creation of the African Energy Commission (AFREC).

AFREC was officially launched in February 17th, 2008, in Algiers, at the end of a conference of African Ministers in charge of Energy.