As a prelude to the International Conference on Solar Energy (CIES) to be held from May 9 to 11, 2023 in Niamey, the Ministry of Energy and Renewable Energies organized on Friday September 30, at the Center Internationale de Conférences Mahatma Gandhi of Niamey, a meeting of information and presentation of the project for the attention of the technical and financial partners and the diplomatic representatives accredited in Niger who accompany the country in the organization of the said event. These exchanges focused on the objectives of the event, the expected results as well as the opportunities both for Niger and for the countries participating in this international meeting. It was the Minister of State, Minister of Energy and Renewable Energies, Mr. Ibrahim Yacoubou who chaired the work.
The CIES, this long-awaited meeting, will bring together in Niamey the political and technical actors as well as the international organizations in charge of solar energy to promote access to electricity, strengthen the international dynamic on the development of solar energy. and share the latest innovations in solutions through best practices. This conference placed, this year, under the theme “Solar energy, energy inclusion and development”, is a major event placed under the auspices of the President of the Republic Mohamed Bazoum. It will bring together governments, donors, developers and various institutions working in the field of energy, with a view to accelerating rapid development in Africa.
CIES 2023 will be structured around technical meetings, panels, symposiums and exhibitions. It will also be an opportunity to unite the efforts of African countries through the creation of a think tank, particularly in terms of access to financing, technologies, innovations or opportunities and capacity building in the field of solar energy.
The CIES also aims to encourage private investment in the financing of solar projects. The Ministry in charge of Renewable Energies also intends to launch next May the equivalent of the Nobel Energy Prize named Abdou Moumouni Academic Prize and another that of the President of the Republic to reward the partners who will have distinguished themselves during this conference. . Through this initiative, it is a question of encouraging research on renewable energies and regularly thinking about the promotion of innovations for the well-being of populations. According to the organizers, the work of this conference will also lead to the adoption of a so-called Niamey Declaration which aims to pool and enhance solar potential in Africa,
At the end of the exchanges, the Minister of State, Minister of Energy and Renewable Energies, Mr. Ibrahim Yacoubou was optimistic about the success of this conference given the existing potential. “Niger has one of the highest solar potentials in the world. Added to this is the political will to carry out an ambitious solar energy development project, considering it as a condition for access to development. Access to development is conditional on access to energy, by the quality of infrastructure. It is for this reason that partners are supporting Niger in the organization of this conference,” he said. “We want to create the momentum that will support and support the development of solar energy in Africa.
For the Minister of State in charge of Renewable Energies, this conference will be an opportunity to pool efforts for access to energy in Africa, particularly solar energy. “We must also take up the challenge of access to energy, its availability, its cost and its quality,” he added. Expressing his expectations regarding this important meeting, Mr. Ibrahim Yacoubou said he hoped that Niamey would be a catalyst for this dynamic. “We want Niamey to be the accelerator of this will that exists in most of our countries to progress in the development of solar energy.
We hope that this meeting will be a diplomatic success that will allow us to have a common vision for progress in this area and that this will lead to capacity building in terms of energy supply in each of our countries which are today in a situation of ”energy poverty””, he concluded.
