As the Africa Energy Indaba draws near with the sixth annual event less than six months away, ambassadors and the diplomatic corps joined media in Sandton on Tuesday to hear exciting details for the upcoming event scheduled for February 2014.
The event organisers, Siyenza, and their strategic partners, the South African National Energy Association and the NEPAD Agency, briefed ambassadors and their economic and trade representatives who were interested in finding out what opportunities the upcoming Africa Energy Indaba would hold for their country representatives in South Africa and across the broader continent.
The Africa Energy Indaba has grown exponentially since its inception in 2009 and has become the premier energy event on the African continent, with the World Energy Council adopting the Indaba as its annual Africa regional event. The importance of an African energy event for Africans that brings together business, government and civil society leaders to collaborate and shape shared solutions to the continent’s energy future cannot be overestimated.
“Without energy, activities and services which we consider to be a normal part of everyday life cannot exist,” said Brian Statham, Chairman of the South African National Energy Association and the Chair of the Africa Energy Indaba Steering Committee. “Without energy schools cannot function, hospitals cannot operate – there is no infrastructure, sanitation or public services without the underlying energy services to support them. And without energy there is no economic activity that sustains these lifeline services,” said Statham.
Professor Mosad Elmissiry, NEPAD’s Head of Energy Programmes, presented on NEPAD’s Sustainable Energy for All initiative (SE4ALL) and other plans within the continent to provide power to the 600 million people on the continent that don’t have access to electricity. “The way the Energy Indaba is set up is different from other energy events, it’s not invited speakers who present papers, it’s an interactive process with panel discussions, there’s interaction between invited guests and delegates. It’s an interactive process to solve African problems. We’ve been involved since 2009 and we’ve endorsed it since 2012 and we’ll continue to do so and support the event,” said Prof. Elmissiry.
“The vision of the Africa Energy Indaba is to catalyse transformation. The spirit of the event is for people to come together, share their knowledge and experience, and then using that in various places and scenarios to help Africa develop. We see this as a process, not a once-off event that only happens in February,” said Statham.
The 2014 Africa Energy Indaba will take place at the Sandton Convention Centre from the 18th – 20th February. Topics presented at the event as a part of the panel discussions are being decided upon by the expert steering committee that is meeting regularly to brainstorm the form and shape of the 2014 event. The 2014 Indaba will include an exhibition, as well as popular side events which run concurrently to the main event: The Africa Projects Roundtable, the Nuclear Forum, a SE4all workshop and a session focused on Independent Power Producers and Power purchase agreements, all including the popular business matchmaking programme.
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About the Africa Energy Indaba:
The Africa Energy Indaba, adopted by the World Energy Council (WEC) as the African regional event of the WEC, receives global recognition as the foremost event for energy professionals from across the globe and is rapidly gaining momentum as the energy business forum in Africa.
Presented by the South African National Energy Association (SANEA) in association with the World Energy Council, and supported by the African Union and the NEPAD Planning & Coordinating Agency, the forum has achieved the highest level of endorsement and support and as such is without doubt the leading energy event in Africa.
The Africa Energy Indaba 2014 will be held from the 18 - 20 February 2014, at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, South Africa. The conference continues to grow and has become the foremost forum for debating and exchanging solutions to Africa's energy challenges and focuses on: African power suppliers; alternative and renewable energies; oil and gas; the legal and regulatory framework, and investment opportunities in African energy projects, to name a few. The exhibition has become a significant marketplace for African and international stakeholders doing business in Africa's energy sector.
Issued by:
Siyenza Management
Mbali Ndaba
Tel: 011 463-9184
Email: mbali@siyenza.za.com