IRENA-Eswatini Energy Planning Capacity-Building Programme: Masterplan 2034 Launch

The Kingdom of Eswatini’s ^[1]  government and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) held a festive launch event for the national Eswatini Energy Masterplan 2034 that was developed as result of the joint Energy Planning Capacity-Building Programme.

The launch event was attended by about 80 people, including mostly national energy sector stakeholders but also some international guests. In her key note address, the Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy (MNRE) outlined that the national Energy Masterplan 2034 provides a roadmap to guide the national energy sector towards a future with adequate, sustainable and reliable supply that is environmentally friendly, competitively priced and which puts Eswatini on the path to achieving its development objectives. The central importance of the Energy Masterplan document was repeatedly emphasized by presenters and by attendees. The country also announced that, based on the Energy Masterplan, it would start implementing competitive bidding and develop a short-term (5-year) power sector generation plan, and emphasized its commitment to regularly update the national Energy Masterplan.

The MNRE Director of Energy presented on the different steps for development of the Energy Masterplan, including the online training, national training courses and training retreats undergone by the national working team to foster national planning capacity, the national consultation workshop to gather feedback and inputs from key national stakeholders, and the cabinet approval of the final Energy Masterplan document. The leader of the national working team presented the main insights of the Masterplan.

IRENA issued opening remarks and a technical presentation to complement MNRE’s speeches. There was also a representative from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) present. Building off the energy planning trainings and technical support by IRENA, IAEA will provide additional trainings for the national working team, thereby further fostering the team’s capacity to fully own and regularly update the national Masterplan.

The launch event was the successful conclusion of the joint IRENA-Eswatini capacity building programme on strategic long-term energy planning.

See the IRENA-Eswatini Capacity-Building Programme.

See the MNRE launch event and the Kingdom of Eswatini Energy Masterplan 2034 document.