SADC Executive Secretary, His Excellency Mr. Elias Magosi
By Dickson Bandera
The SADC Conference of Ministers of Energy and Water wrapped up this Friday in Harare following five intense days of deliberations that brought together key decision-makers, experts, and partners to shape the future of two of the region’s most vital sectors: energy and water.
The gathering took place against the backdrop of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) celebrating its 30th anniversary, a historic milestone that honoured the architects and pioneers of regional energy cooperation. The two events, though distinct, echoed a singular call for integrated planning, resilient infrastructure, and African-led solutions.
In his remarks, SADC Executive Secretary, His Excellency Mr. Elias Magosi, urged leaders to move beyond conventional approaches.
“Let Harare be the turning point, a moment for us to renew our political, financial, and technical commitment to advancing water and energy infrastructure across our region,” he declared.
H.E Magosi emphasized that while gains have been made, the region remains in the grip of systemic challenges—from rising demand, outdated infrastructure, and financing bottlenecks to the deepening impacts of climate change.
“Our Region continues to face a generation shortfall of 4,509 MW among the nine interconnected mainland Member States,” he said. “This gap is largely attributed to El Niño-induced droughts impacting hydropower generation, the low availability factor of existing power plants, and inadequate transmission infrastructure.”
Despite these hurdles, H.E Magosi praised the progress recorded over the past year. “Of the 15 key energy-related Ministerial decisions taken during the last meeting in Angola, seven have been fully implemented while the remaining eight are at advanced stages of execution,” he noted.
He pointed to successful infrastructure developments such as the Lesotho Highlands Water Project-Phase II, the Songwe River Basin Development Programme, and the preparation of major transboundary projects like the Congo Water Transfer Concept.
“Twenty-four groundwater grant projects across 13 Member States are currently providing safe and reliable water to more than 600,000 people in rural and underserved areas,” he said, describing these as critical wins in improving water security and social equity.
On the energy front, Magosi announced that 2,885 MW of new generation capacity was commissioned in the 2024–2025 period, pushing the region’s total installed capacity to over 85,000 MW. More is on the way.
“Projects scheduled between 2025 and 2027 are expected to contribute more than 28,000 MW of additional capacity in the Region,” he said, highlighting initiatives such as the Malawi–Mozambique, Tanzania–Zambia, and Angola–Namibia interconnectors and the ambitious ZIZABONA transmission project.
He underlined the importance of institutional reforms, including the operationalisation of the Regional Transmission Infrastructure Financing Facility (RTIFF) and the development of a Just Energy Transition Framework.
But H.E Magosi was clear: infrastructure alone won’t deliver the region’s energy and water security. Stronger governance, climate adaptation, and innovation are crucial.
“Fragmented policy, legal, and regulatory frameworks limit the development of effective regional electricity markets and coordinated water governance,” he warned. “We must accelerate harmonisation and strengthen coherence.”
He also expressed appreciation for the support of multilateral development banks and partners such as the World Bank and African Development Bank, saying their role in project preparation and financing remains indispensable.
In a sharp call to action, H.E Magosi challenged the region to rethink its approach to recurring climate events.
“Africa has known natural disasters which over and over again catch the region off guard as they are regarded as emergencies,” he said. “There should be solutions to reduce these emergencies.”
Discussions at the Harare conference also focused on promoting renewable energy, green hydrogen, electric mobility, and smart grid technologies, alongside reviewing groundwater and climate resilience initiatives. Ministers considered the revised SADC Water Policy and regional readiness for implementing the Dar es Salaam Declaration on Mission 300, which aims to accelerate energy access and clean cooking systems.
Closing his speech, Magosi saluted the unity of purpose among Member States and reaffirmed the Secretariat’s commitment to regional integration.
“The SADC Secretariat remains your committed and dedicated partner in advancing sustainable and inclusive regional development in the energy and water sectors,” he said.
As the curtains fell on a week of visionary engagements, the message from Harare was clear: regional cooperation, homegrown innovation, and political will are essential if Southern Africa is to safeguard its energy and water future in an age of accelerating climate and development challenges.
