Energy, Environment and Development Network for Africa (AFREPREN/FWD)

From TrustAfrica wiki - African Regional Organizations

AFREPREN/FWD
Elgeyo Marakwet Close, Kilimani
P.O. Box 30979, 00100 GPO, Nairobi, Kenya

Tel: +254-20-3866032 / 3871467 / 3873714 / 3872144 or +254-722-509804
Fax: +254-20-3861464 / 3876470 / 3740524

Email: afrepren@africaonline.co.ke
Website: http://www.afrepren.org

Stephen Karekezi, Director, stephenk@africaonline.co.ke

Description

Launched in 1989, AFREPREN/FWD is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), bringing together African energy researchers and policy makers interested in energy research and the attendant policy-making process. AFREPREN/FWD’s mission is to develop feasible policy options to deliver affordable and cleaner energy services to the poor. It brings together over 300 researchers and policy makers from Eastern and Southern African region with long term interest in energy research and the attendant policy making process. Present and past members of AFREPREN/FWD have been drawn from 19 countries of the region namely: Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, South-Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. AFREPREN/FWD collaborates with energy, climate change and environment experts from Sierra Leone, Senegal, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and Mali.

Until 1994, the AFREPREN/FWD Researchers’ Program was grouped around six major energy subject areas namely: institutions and planning; renewable energy technologies; biomass energy; electricity; oil and gas; and, coal and gasification. In the 1995-1998 phase, its major themes were institutions; finance and markets; capacity building; management and efficiency; local and regional environmental impact of energy; and, climate change and energy. In mid-1999, AFREPREN/FWD launched a new research program focused on 10 Eastern and Southern African countries. Its key focal themes were: renewables and energy for rural development; gender and energy; energy services for the urban poor; energy sector reform; and, special studies on the strategic significance of the energy sector in Eastern and Southern Africa.

Besides research, AFREPREN/FWD has organized over 70 training courses, policy seminars and workshops. About 35 percent of the training courses, policy seminars and workshops were dedicated to renewable energy and energy efficiency drawing participation from different cadres of government, public institutions, funding agencies, civil society, experts and other interested parties. Other activities of the organization include:

• Sponsorship for a Masters Degree course in energy policy at the University of Cape Town, South Africa which covers tuition, living expenses and travel costs.. AFREPREN/FWD members and non-members are eligible.
• Annual training courses on energy policy, energy technologies and information technology aimed at enhancing research and energy policy formulation skills.
• National events organized by the national focal points in AFREPREN/FWD member countries to disseminate research findings to national policy makers and researchers.

AFREPREN/FWD partners with the private sector, financial institutions and civil society organizations. For example, a workshop co-organized by AFREPREN/FWD and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) in December 2004 provided a forum for CSOs in Kenya to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing them in promoting pro-poor policies.

The AFREPREN/FWD secretariat is staffed by a highly competent, well-qualified group of engineers, economists, social scientists and experts in agriculture, accounting, project finance and business administration. These professionals have a wide range of experience, knowledge and expertise on energy technology and policy issues in the Eastern and Southern Africa region as well as other African regions, Asia, Europe and North America. The Secretariat also runs an internship program with local universities where continuing students work as interns/research assistants and are involved in various research projects.

AFREPREN/FWD’s principal donors include the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), GTZ of Germany, African Development Bank and a range of European-based and Africa-based foundations, institutions and programs.

Track Record

Since its inception in 1989, AFREPREN/FWD has implemented over 220 national, regional and Africa-wide energy policy research projects involving over 300 African researchers and policy makers from 19 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa and forged links with several Northern and Western African energy researchers, policy makers and institutions.

Regionally, AFREPREN/FWD has contributed to NEPAD’s energy strategies and assessed, on behalf of the African Development Bank, renewables and efficiency priorities in eastern Africa for support by the ADB through its FINESSE Africa Program. At the international level, AFREPREN/FWD has contributed to the energy strategies of the World Bank, Global Environment Facility, UN Agencies, European Union and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

AFREPREN/FWD has close to 100 active African energy policy makers and researchers at any given research phase and is directly linked to a critical mass of influential energy analysts in Africa. The diversity of the AFREPREN/FWD membership provides multiple entry points to influence energy policy in the region. For example, about 50 per cent of AFREPREN/FWD members are in Government or energy utilities and positions directly influencing energy policy in the region.

Since its inception, AFREPREN/FWD has strived to promote capacity building in the African energy sector leading to a significant number of former and current AFREPREN/FWD members assuming positions of considerable policy influence and clout. Examples include a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy in Kenya, Zambia and Tanzania; an Assistant Minister of Energy in Uganda; Directors of Energy in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Uganda and Zambia; Principal Economist in the Ministries of Finance and Energy in Kenya; and, national utility director in Ethiopia. In addition, AFREPREN/FWD eminent researchers and scientific advisors who include the late Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Mauritius and a former Member of the Scientific Advisory Panel (STAP) of the Global Environment Facility managed by the World Bank, UNDP and UNEP.

AFREPREN/FWD members are experienced in energy policy issues and field project implementation. The participation of senior African energy policy makers and researchers in AFREPREN/FWD has increased its impact on energy policy formulation and implementation. In some cases (notably Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Zambia), senior AFREPREN/FWD members have used AFREPREN/FWD research reports to inform national energy policy documents and guidelines. An independent evaluation in 2002 demonstrated the contribution of its research findings in key national energy policies and plans. Notable examples include Botswana: inputs into national development plans; Eritrea: proposal for the establishment of new regional energy units in government and policies on rural electrification; Tanzania: design and review of energy programs of local offices of international development agencies; Uganda: socioeconomic assessment of utility privatization, Zimbabwe: Inputs into national energy policy document ensuring that the energy needs of the urban poor are addressed; and, Zimbabwe: Contributions to national biomass energy strategy.

Through its diverse studies, AFREPREN/FWD has contributed to the limited literature on energy in Africa. Findings of AFREPREN/FWD research have been published in 17 major books, a special issue of the International Energy Policy journal, 29 Occasional Papers, 37 journal articles, 55 newspaper and magazine articles, 23 book chapters and over 348 Working Papers. These are available in print and electronic format.

AFREPREN/FWD has over the years developed a substantial African Energy database on renewables and energy efficiency and socio-economic indicators. It mainly covers sub-Saharan Africa but also includes other regions such as Central Africa, West Africa and North Africa. The database is regularly updated.

To date, the secretariat has produced nine data handbooks. To avail the data to the wider public, the Secretariat has published two Occasional papers on African Energy Data and Terminologies (AFREPREN/FWD Occasional Papers 13 and 23). In addition to energy data and socio-economic indicators, these published volumes also include definitions of terminologies commonly used in the African energy sector.

AFREPREN/FWD also has a library and documentation unit dedicated to energy and energy related issues and cogeneration issues in Africa which contains over 40,000 publications: books, journals, newsletters, magazines, videos, DVDs and CD ROMs. The AFREPREN/FWD library has been growing, and its documents are entered in a state-of-the-art searchable computerized bibliographic system.. A quarter of these publications are on Africa and there are plans to upload the AFREPREN/FWD library on the website.

The AFREPREN/FWD website (www.afrepren.org) has been designed to enhance exchange and sharing of energy information and increase access to information available within the AFREPREN/FWD Network and the energy community in general. The website has an increase in monthly average hits from less than 30,000 in 1997 to a monthly average of 100,000 in 2006.

Challenges

In spite of these achievements, the organization faces a number of challenges. A lack of long-term funding has made it difficult for AFREPREN/FWD to undertake any long-term planning necessary to provide the necessary skills, expertise and experience to run activities efficiently. AFREPREN/FWD also faces funding constraints to undertake its work comprehensively.

Opportunities

The organization has several opportunities. Firstly, the need to respond to increased demand for feasible energy options fby the poor in a rapidly reforming energy sector. Secondly, meeting increased demand for up to date and time series energy data focusing on the poor. There is an increased flow of funds targeting the provision of energy services for the poor and AFREPREN/FWD can tap into this and make a major contribution.

There is a chance to strengthen AFREPREN/FWD to become the premium platform for skilled African energy professionals. The organization also plans to publish an annual energy publication focused on Africa to be initially based on the expanded AFREPREN/FWD newsletter, database and other publications.

There are existing and potential regional and international collaborators providing policy makers with similar products/ outputs and obtaining funding from the same donors. The organization could collaborate or partner with them or with other non-energy organizations addressing the poor’s energy needs. The institutional capacity building and knowledge management of the organization as well as its contribution to energy policy making in Africa merits long term support.