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Credits UNESCO
Published on May 2, 2024

Building Capacity for Renewable Energy in Zimbabwe


The Joint SDG Fund programme in Zimbabwe provided solar training equipment worth over US$ 60,000 to the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) Training Centre, in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Power Development. This effort’s impact is two-fold: 1) to equip workers with “green” skills applicable across various green sectors and 2) to increase accessibility and affordability to renewable energy training opportunities in the wake of climate-induced threats to energy supplies.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Hon. Edgar Moyo, Minister of Energy and Power Development, said, “The handover of the solar equipment today is not merely a ceremonial act; it is a tangible manifestation of our commitment to realising the objectives outlined in the NDS1. By investing in renewable infrastructure and technologies, we are laying the foundation for a more sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come.” - Hon. Edgar Moyo, Minister of Energy and Power Development

By investing in renewable infrastructure and technologies, we are laying the foundation for a more sustainable and prosperous future for generations to come.

“Zimbabwe, like many nations around the world, has set ambitious goals for sustainable development and economic growth guided by the principles of inclusivity, resilience and environmental stewardship,” said Minister Moyo. 

Speaking at the same event representing the United Nations Resident Coordinator, Ms Nisha, UNESCO Regional Office for Southern Africa Director, emphasised that renewable energy is key to sustainable development.

"The integration of renewable energy sources in the development agenda is essential for combating climate change. Renewable energy holds the key to the future, to development, to education and to the realisation of the SDGs." - Ms Nisha

The Joint SDG Fund has facilitated a series of renewable energy training opportunities to address the gaps and needs that exist in the sector. The first training of the series ran for two weeks at the ZESA training centre and focused specifically on women and youth engagement. 

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Joint SDG Fund members and Government representatives meet in Harare

 

“The ongoing training comprises 50 per cent women and 75 per cent youth. These trainings strive to empower women, youth, and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) through tangible measures aimed at fostering entrepreneurship across the renewable energy sector.” - Malvern Matongo, the Zimbabwe Joint SDG Renewable Energy Project Coordinator.

Representing the ZESA Training Centre, Mr Chikwenere, Executive Chairperson and Group Financial Director, said, "The solar equipment comes at a very critical period in ZESA as we focus on building capacity and advancing knowledge in the field of renewable energy."

The Joint SDG Fund programme aims to bridge the gaps that exist in the market and promote project implementation by providing renewable energy technical assistance and building capacity among renewable energy project developers and investors. It also aims to de-risk investment in renewable energy and foster the integration of small-scale renewable energy businesses into the energy value chains. 

For further media enquiries please contact: Malvern Matongo - Project Coordinator. (E) m.matongo [at] unesco.org (m[dot]matongo[at]unesco[dot]org) 

 

Originally published by UNESCO

 

Note:

All joint programs of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.