Energy in Africa in 2020
ADEA in 2020
For ADEA, the year was marked by the attention and work devoted to the various aspects of energy development in Africa:
- Refining: participation in the African Refiners Association conference in Cape Town in March, a think tank meeting devoted to reviewing the situation of African refineries and the construction of the Dangote refinery in Lagos; this refinery, one of the largest ever built (more than 600,000 barrels per day of capacity) is intended to export very high quality products but also to supply the local market. The NNPC refineries, whose combined capacity would meet Nigeria's needs, are only partially operational. David Bleasdale (CITAC) and Babjide Soyode have provided assistance.
- Electricity with a think tank meeting devoted to different models of energy access The complementarity of centralised systems and decentralised mini-grids over such a vast continent, in a world where technological and cost developments are significant, was highlighted. Thanks to Bernard Duhamel, Christèle Adedjoumon, Lionel Taccoen for their participation.
- The role of different organisations in access to energy, thanks to a debate with GERT and Electriciens sans frontières which highlighted the potential of NGOs and the different possibilities for electrifying villages, which are too far from the national grid to be connected to it.
2020: hopes and concerns
We are saddened by the dramatic events in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger, where in recent weeks hundreds of people have died as a result of attacks by powerful armed groups. In one of these attacks dozens of innocent women and children have been killed. The causes of these attacks are many and bringing peace to this immense region of the Sahel will be very complex.
But this should only encourage us to work for better access to energy, which is an essential condition for progress and for improving the situation of the people. Economic development, which is noticeable in countries far removed from these conflicts, enables the living conditions of the populations to be improved and eases tensions.
Our program
Our General Assembly of November 6th allowed us to welcome new members and to take stock of our activities.
Our next actions
- The next meeting of our Think Tank will be devoted to the Chinese presence in Africa and the intervention of Chinese companies in the energy sector.
- Our SIEPA 2020 (International Exhibition of Energy and Oil in Africa) will take place on 16 and 17 June in Dakar. It will be the 18th edition of this exhibition whose first session was held in Dakar in November 2002. It is the first event of this importance on the continent.
Save the dates !
And let's take advantage of this new editorial to wish our members, sponsors and all participants in our events all the best.
Happy New Year 2020
Jean-Pierre Favennec
Président
Association pour
le Développement
de l'Énergie en Afrique
