GEF and UNIDO, stakeholders and other partners of the government of Gambia are meeting in Banjul to discuss on the Global Environment Facility (GEF) 6 which will be implemented soon and as well as validate the renewable energy investment strategy for the Gambia as the Gambia embarks on the journey to implement the sustainable energy for all.
Mr. Momodou O. Njie the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Speaking at the occasion said, “The Gambia is so far a non-petroleum producing country, our high dependence on thermal generators for electricity supply is not sustainable and has been costing the economy dearly in terms of foreign exchange.”
He added that an assessment of the electricity supply situation reveals that over 95 percent of electricity consumed in the country is produced from thermal generators, which are petroleum products based.
The two-day synergy which began on 5th July at a local hotel in Kololi would enable organizers to get the views, wishes, and aspirations of all the stakeholders to formulate a project that will help support the operationalization of the Sustainable Energy for All Action Agenda.
PS Njie stated that the Gambia was among the first group of countries to join the SE4ALL and did not waste time to develop the sustainable energy for all Action Agenda and Investment Prospectus.
He calls on the participants to be critical of the document, so as to have an excellent renewable energy investment strategy document that will judiciously guide the country’s investment in renewable energy.
Omar Bah, representative of the GEF Focal Point in The Gambia, spoke at length on the importance of the forum. He said the Gambia government in partnership with development partners such as GEF and UNIDO are implementing projects in the domain of renewable energy.
Mr. Bah revealed that the Gambia is one of the countries in the sub-region to benefit from the Global Environment Fund (GEF) grant of about US$1.8 million which is aimed at promoting renewable energy base mini-grids for productive uses in the rural areas of the Gambia.
