- UNDP and the Global Environment Facility (GEF) have funded Eswatini to implement the Africa Minigrids Program (AMP)
- The AMP Program is aimed at increasing electricity access by reducing the cost of supply and increasing commercial viability of renewable energy
- ESERA calls for input from emaSwati to ensure success of the project. Input should sent by the 30th of June 2022
Photo Credit: https://www.thegef.org/projects-operations/database https://www.undp.org/
By Ntokozo Nkambule
Eswatini has been supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to implement the Africa Minigrids Program (AMP).
According to the Draft Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), published by UNDP, the AMP aims to increase electricity access in the country by reducing the cost of supply and increasing commercial viability of renewable energy minigrids. “The AMP’s objective is to increase access to electricity by improving the financial viability and promoting scaled-up commercial investment in renewable energy minigrids.
The objective of each national child project is to provide technical support to improve energy access in rural areas through the introduction of renewable technologies. Each project consists of specific components to be implemented over the course of a 4‐year period as described in the project documents” notes the ESMF report.
The Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA) which is the government agency responsible for this project has called for the input of emaSwati, to ensure the success of the project. ESERA in a published notice states that the objective of the ESMF is to ensure compliance of relevant policies, including UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards (SES), and to direct the project personnel and stakeholders during the implementation of the project in tackling the social and environmental concerns identified.
“Among those, the ESMF aims to manage the Environmental & Social (E&S) impacts through appropriate mitigation measures that may arise with the implementation of the project providing specific guidance to be followed consistently with the existing policies at the local, national and international level and the UNDP” notes ESMF document.
About The Africa Minigrids Programme
The Africa Minigrids Program (AMP) is a country-led technical assistance program for minigrids, active in an initial 18 African countries. AMP is expressly targeting early-stage minigrid markets, seeking to establish the enabling environment for subsequent private investment at scale. With GEF funding, the United Nations Development Programme will be implementing the program together with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), linking up with a wide array of minigrid stakeholders in Africa and beyond. (Source: Global Environment Facility (GEF).
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