Casa Africa brings the ECOWAS Energy Commissioner to the Canary Islands - La Provincia
Africa Housebrings to the Canary Islands and MadridCommissioner for Energy and Mines of the Economic Commission of West African States, Sediko Douka. In Madrid he met with the Secretary of State for Energy, José Dominguez Abascal, and held a meeting at the headquarters of the CEOE with more than 40 companies in the Spanish energy sector, interested in knowing the energy investment plans of the 15 countries that make up this economic area of West Africa.
Douka had already visited Casa África before being appointed Commissioner of ECOWAS, when he was responsible for the division responsible for the management of Public-Private Partnership projects in the commission, which are responsible for achieving the involvement and alliance of the company private to make viable the large infrastructure projects (both in roads and rail and port connections, and in the energy sector).
Accompanied by theGeneral Director of Casa África, Luis Padrón,the vice president of the international commission of the CEOE, Carmen Planas, and the general deputy director of Trade Policy with Middle Eastern Countries, Africa and the Middle East of the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism, Miriam Pérez Nogueira, Douka exposed theThe will of the countries of this African region to increase their capacity for generating electricity, especially through renewable energy projects,something in which Spanish companies can have an important role given their know-how and experience in this sector.
ECOWAS has 30% of the oil and gas reserves of the African continent,and a potential in the hydroelectric terrain of 26,000 megawatts, which joins the immense solar potential (it is one of the sunniest regions in the world) and wind (especially on the coasts and desert areas). LThe region still has great needs to cover all its energy demand(it can only satisfy 45% of it) and biomass represents up to 80% of its mix.
The West African countries are now looking for ways to achieveincreased power generation capacityelectricity and interconnection between countries, in a bid that also includes renewable energies, especially through mini-networks to increase the data on electricity coverage in rural areas, which is now only 8%, and by the year 2030 he wants to have covered up to 25%.
Douka presented the big figures of the investment that ECOWAS proposes until the year 2025, and that suppose ainvestment of up to 26,400 million dollars,divided into hydroelectric projects, thermal plants, renewable energy and interconnection networks between countries. In his opinion, the countries of West Africa are making an important effort, aware that electricity generation is key to the development of the entire region.
In addition to its meetings with the public and private sector of the energy sector in Madrid, Douka is today in the Canary Islands to attend, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the inauguration of CANAGUA, the 12th International Water and Energy Fair and which always lends special attention to the African continent, trying to generate contacts between the Canary and Spanish companies and the institutions and companies of the surrounding African countries.
