Energy Ministers from the Central African Sub-region have adopted the 2014-2030 energy strategy programme in Yaounde last October 18.

Ten member countries of the Economic Community of Central African States, ECCAS and the Central African Economic and Monetary Community, CEMAC now have a common plan for developing projects that can ensure universal access to modern energy by 2030.

The energy ministers present during the occasion sanctioned and baptized the project under the code name “ECCAS and CEMAC White Paper: Regional Policy for universal access to modern energy services and economic and social development.”

The 2014-2030 modern energy project was drafted with financial support from the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP the white paper explores hidden potentials in the region and maps out ways through which they could be transformed into opportunities to revive the region from darkness.

The white paper designers indicated common vision shared by ECCAS and CEMAC to see into it that the population in this sub region will be adequately accessed with modern energy come 2030, which is in view of the emergence of the Central Africa and a Sustainable Human Development.

It emerged from the Energy Ministers that the implantation of the White Paper notably with regards to accessing modern energy services requires investments amounting to about 14.8 billion dollars (about 7 609 Billion CFA francs) to attain a 54 per cent electrification rate by 2030.

Cameroon’s Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Basile Atangana Kouna who is also the President of the Regional Ministers Conference saluted the efforts and challenged member countries to work in synergy with the commission in order to develop better strategies.

The Resident Coordinator of the UN Systems to Cameroon Najat Rochdi pledged her institution’s continuous support especially in capacity building of skilled human resources.

The White paper Project will be guided by three principles; good regional, national and local governance, energy security and the promotion of hydropower potentials.