A two-day Energy Stakeholders Conference has commenced in Lilongwe, emphasising the need for collaborative efforts to expand access to clean energy, reduce carbon emissions, and create new jobs through increased electricity availability in the country.
Speaking at the conference which also aims to facilitate a candid discussion on revitalising Malawi’s energy sector, Minister of Energy, Ibrahim Matola, said government is committed to achieving universal access to clean energy by 2030.
“We have rural households that are not connected to the grid. Sometimes, the terrain hinders grid connections, which is why we are also promoting off-grid solutions,” added Matola.
Senior Country Economist and Acting Country Manager for the World Bank, Jacob Engel, agreed with Matola, emphasising the need to scale up access to clean energy.
He highlighted the bank’s support for the Malawi Energy Access Project (MEAP) and the rehabilitation of the Kapichila Hydro Power Station, among other initiatives. Commenting on the conference’s relevance, Country Delivery Lead for the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP), Collen Zalengera, stressed the importance of unity among energy sector players to achieve significant progress.
Statistics indicate that 85 percent of the country’s population currently relies on biomass fuels.
