Tanzania is among SADC member states participating in a high-level technical meeting in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, aimed at advancing strategic regional cooperation in the energy and water sectors.
The meeting, which brought together Permanent Secretaries and senior experts in energy and water, forms part of the lead-up to the Joint Committee of SADC Ministers responsible for Energy and Water, expected to convene later this week.
Top on the agenda are regional electricity transmission infrastructure, promotion of clean cooking energy, and the implementation of the African Union’s M300 initiative, which seeks to connect 300 million people to electricity across the continent.
Also under discussion are developments in the oil and gas sub-sector and rural electrification efforts, with a focus on joint cross-border infrastructure development among SADC member countries.
Tanzania has used the platform not only to engage in policy and technical discussions but also to showcase its achievements in expanding energy access particularly in rural areas through initiatives spearheaded by the Rural Energy Agency (REA).
The country’s delegation includes high-level officials from the Ministry of Energy and key institutions in the sector.
Among them are the Assistant Commissioner for Electricity Development, Eng. Styden Rwebangila; REA Director General, Eng. Hassan Saidy; TPDC Director of Planning and Investment, Mr. Derick Moshi; TANESCO’s Director of Electricity Regulatory Systems, Eng. Deogratius Mariwa; and EWURA’s Economic Regulation Director, Mr. Msafiri Mtepa. Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation are also part of the team.
The meeting serves as a strategic platform for Tanzania to reinforce its economic diplomacy agenda while promoting regional integration and cooperation in critical sectors.
With energy and water remaining pivotal to socio-economic development, the outcomes of the Harare gathering are expected to feed into key regional frameworks for sustainable and inclusive growth in Southern Africa.
