Somalia Renewables Readiness Assessment: National Consultation Workshop

The Renewables Readiness Assessment (RRA) National Consultation workshop, organized by IRENA in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Energy Resources of Somalia, brought together wide array of relevant stakeholders to discuss the challenges and opportunities for the development of renewables in Somalia. Participants included government officials, energy regulators and planners, energy experts, civil society, non-governmental institutions, private sector, development partners, financial institutions, multilateral development banks, academic institutions, vocational training centers.

There is a strong rationale for renewable energy development in Somalia bolstered by an abundance of renewable energy sources, ranging from hydropower and geothermal to solar and wind resources. At the workshop, the energy sector strategies were reviewed to appraise the key conditions for the development and deployment of renewable energy. These inputs contributed significant information for the analysis of short-medium term implementation action plans.

The RRA process, a country-specific assessment tool developed by IRENA, constitutes the backbone of the Agency’s engagement at the national level. Through a country-led multi-stakeholder process that involves a holistic assessment of key conditions for renewable energy deployment, the RRA offers concrete recommendations that can help countries overcome barriers and promote renewable energy investments.