Wakati
vituo vya data vikitarajiwa kuchangia asilimia 20 ya matumizi ya
nishati duniani ifikapo mwaka 2050, je, Afrika Mashariki iko kileleni
kuwa yenye thamani ikikimbiliwa na mataifa mbalimbali duniani huku
ikionyesha utajiri wa biashara zenye faida na fursa isiyo na kifani kwa
nishati?
Arusha. Mnamo
mwaka wa 2024, kufuatia Mkutano wa Powering Africa wa EnergyNet huko
Washington DC, USA, Mara Holdings iliadhimia nia yake ya kuwekeza Afrika
Mashariki kwa kutia saini makubaliano makubwa na serikali ya Kenya,
kuonyesha mwelekeo wa kile ambacho kinaweza kubadilisha mwenendo kwa
eneo na uhalali wa kibiashara kwa Wazalishaji Nishati Binafsi (IPP)
wengi.
Katika Mkutano wa Ushirikiano wa Nishati wa Afrika
Mashariki (EA-ECS), unaofanyika Januari 29-30 jijini Arusha, Tanzania,
tunafuraha kuwaunganisha Wazalishaji Nishati Binafsi wa nishati za
Afrika na wadau wa Uhandisi, Manunuzi, Ujenzi, na Fedha (EPCF)
kutathimini uwezekano wa uwekezaji na uvumbuzi ulioanzishwa na makampuni
muhimu kimkakati, ikijumuisha Vituo vya Data vya Afrika na iXAfrica.
Kiini
cha ukuaji huu wa kikanda wa shughuli za uwekezaji ni Sekretarieti ya
Afrika Mashariki (EAC), ambayo inawakutanisha wawekezaji na watengeneza
sera pamoja na EnergyNet, kujikita katika “Utajiri wa Rasilimali.
Upatikanaji wa Nishati. Fursa za Uwekezaji.”
Kwa kuzingatia
mafanikio ya mwaka jana, mkutano huu utakuza ushirikiano kote Afrika
Mashariki, ukiangazia dira ya Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki (EAC) ya
ushirikiano wa kina wa kikanda na jukumu muhimu la kukuza viwanda na
ushirikiano miongoni mwa wadau.
· Simulizi za mafanikio
yaliyopatikana, ikiwa ni pamoja na njia kuu ya umeme ya Ethiopia-Kenya,
inasisitiza uwezekano wa mageuzi wa ushirikiano wa kuvuka mpaka kwa
maendeleo ya kiuchumi na kijamii.
· Watumiaji wa nje
wanaongeza hitaji la uzalishaji wa nishati na mkutano huu utazingatia
sekta ya madini na miundombinu ya kidijitali.
Ukiongozwa
na Mawaziri kutoka nchi mbalimbali za Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki na
watumiaji wakubwa wa nishati, kwa muda wa siku mbili, Mkutano wa Arusha
utajikita katika fursa kwa sekta binafsi, kuhimiza kuwepo kwa mseto wa
nishati mbalimbali ili kudumisha ustahimilivu wa gridi ya taifa ili
kusaidia ukuaji mkubwa wa viwanda, pamoja na uzalishaji wa umeme kwa
matumizi ya kibiashara na biashara za viwandani.
“Nishati ni
nguzo ya maendeleo na ukuaji na ni muhimu kwa utendaji kazi wa uchumi wa
Nchi Wanachama wa Afrika Mashariki. Mkutano wa Ushirikiano wa Nishati
wa Afrika Mashariki utatumika kama jukwaa bora la kuendeleza miradi na
kuleta mabadiliko yanayoonekana katika sekta hiyo,” amesema Mheshimiwa
Andrea Malueth, Naibu Katibu Mkuu (Sekta ya Miundombinu, Uzalishaji,
Jamii na Siasa), Sekretarieti ya Jumuiya ya Afrika Mashariki.
EA-ECS
itakaribisha wanasiasa na viongozi mashuhuri kutoka nchi zote za Afrika
Mashariki na sekta zake za nishati. Wataungana na wakuzaji biashara wa
sekta binafsi ambao wanatengeneza mustakabali wa mazingira ya nishati ya
Afrika Mashariki, wakihudumia takriban watu milioni 500.
“Miaka
kumi kutoka sasa, tabaka la kati la watu wa Afrika Mashariki litakuwa na
uthabiti zaidi wa kazi, fursa zaidi, na kipato zaidi ukilinganisha na
hapo awali. Reli mpya, viwanda, bandari na utalii vitalifanya eneo hili
kuwa kivutio kikuu cha uwekezaji duniani, na kujitwalia nafasi hiyo
kutoka eneo la Asia na Amerika Kusini,” amesema Elisa Palmioli,
Mtayarishaji, EnergyNet.
About EnergyNet:
FACILITATING ENERGY
INVESTMENT IN FAST-GROWING ECONOMIES – EnergyNet has produced
investment forums and executive dialogues for Africa and Latin America’s
power sectors for the last 25 years – in Europe, the USA, Asia and
across Africa and Latin America.
We work with governments and
national utilities to facilitate investment summits where credible
international investors can build relationships with public sector
stakeholders to advance access to power.
Best known for the
Africa Energy Forum, the longest-serving business development meeting
place for senior-level decision makers in Africa’s power sector, other
leading investment summits that provide strategic perspectives on the
investment landscape and project preparation include the Tanzania Energy
Cooperation Summit, East Africa Energy Cooperation Summit, West Africa
Energy Cooperation Summit, H2 Africa, Offshore Technology Africa,
Powering Africa Summit, Latin American Energy Forum and Latin American
& Caribbean Gas Conference and Exhibition. YES! Youth Energy Summit
and YES! Youth Energy Day are part of the portfolio, with a focus on
creating a platform and network to boost the skills, connections and
business readiness of a new generation of African energy leaders.
Having
this focus on public and private sector partnerships provides us with a
valuable lens through which we can offer independent perspectives and
support the business development activities of companies from around the
world operating in these fast-growing markets.
Headquarters: London, UK
For further information, please visit our website https://EnergyNet.co.UK/
