40
M. Irowarisima
African States (ECOWAS) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) as regional organizations within each region, to see how and
where they ought to cooperate to achieve energy security in their regions.
It was against the background of fostering cooperation that for
example, ECOWAS developed an ambitious energy agenda, anchored
in the ECOWAS founding treaty of 1975. The early objectives that
govern Member States were to engender cooperation and development
in all spheres of economic activity, including energy on the one hand.
On the other hand, to increase the collective energy autonomy of the
subregion.
13 The seeming materialization of these objectives began to
happen after 24 years in the establishment of the West Africa Power
Pool (WAPP) and the ECOWAS Energy Protocol in 2003 that sought
to foster long-term cooperation, increase complementarity and attract
investments to promote regional energy trade in West Africa. The agenda
was further broadened with the establishment of the West African Gas
Pipeline (WAGP) in 2005 and the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable
Energy Efficiency in 2010.
14 Also, to enhance the development of
regional electricity and energy trade, the proposed Activity Plan included
among others the formation of the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP)
Pool Plan; SAPP Short Term Energy Market (STEM) and the Regional
Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA).
Despite significant investments targeted towards boosting energy
production through these regional energy initiatives at both ECOWAS
and SADC regions, virtually all of them experienced significant setbacks
ranging from delays and/or increased transaction costs. This is not to
say that there were no exceptions. However, ECOWAS and SADC
energy markets remain inward-looking and highly dependent on expensive thermal power. Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Democratic Republic
of Congo, and to some extent Cote d’Ivoire are net exporters, primarily
through historical bilateral arrangements while most of the ECOWAS
and SADC countries majorly depend on imports and fossil fuel for electricity supply. Regional cooperation has a major role to play in addressing
13 M Bhatia and N Angelou, Beyond Connections: Energy Access Redefined (Washington, DC:
World Bank, 2015).
14 PowerGen, ‘Our Microgrids Are the Building Blocks of Africa’s Future Smart Grid’, www.pow
ergen-renewable-energy.com/micro-grids-for-the-future-ofpower/, accessed February 11, 2020.
M. Irowarisima
African States (ECOWAS) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) as regional organizations within each region, to see how and
where they ought to cooperate to achieve energy security in their regions.
It was against the background of fostering cooperation that for
example, ECOWAS developed an ambitious energy agenda, anchored
in the ECOWAS founding treaty of 1975. The early objectives that
govern Member States were to engender cooperation and development
in all spheres of economic activity, including energy on the one hand.
On the other hand, to increase the collective energy autonomy of the
subregion.
13 The seeming materialization of these objectives began to
happen after 24 years in the establishment of the West Africa Power
Pool (WAPP) and the ECOWAS Energy Protocol in 2003 that sought
to foster long-term cooperation, increase complementarity and attract
investments to promote regional energy trade in West Africa. The agenda
was further broadened with the establishment of the West African Gas
Pipeline (WAGP) in 2005 and the ECOWAS Centre for Renewable
Energy Efficiency in 2010.
14 Also, to enhance the development of
regional electricity and energy trade, the proposed Activity Plan included
among others the formation of the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP)
Pool Plan; SAPP Short Term Energy Market (STEM) and the Regional
Electricity Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA).
Despite significant investments targeted towards boosting energy
production through these regional energy initiatives at both ECOWAS
and SADC regions, virtually all of them experienced significant setbacks
ranging from delays and/or increased transaction costs. This is not to
say that there were no exceptions. However, ECOWAS and SADC
energy markets remain inward-looking and highly dependent on expensive thermal power. Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Democratic Republic
of Congo, and to some extent Cote d’Ivoire are net exporters, primarily
through historical bilateral arrangements while most of the ECOWAS
and SADC countries majorly depend on imports and fossil fuel for electricity supply. Regional cooperation has a major role to play in addressing
13 M Bhatia and N Angelou, Beyond Connections: Energy Access Redefined (Washington, DC:
World Bank, 2015).
14 PowerGen, ‘Our Microgrids Are the Building Blocks of Africa’s Future Smart Grid’, www.pow
ergen-renewable-energy.com/micro-grids-for-the-future-ofpower/, accessed February 11, 2020.