Top > Regional Affairs > Africa > TICAD > Illustrative List Of Ongoing and Pipeline Projects/Programs For African Development As a Reference Document for TICAD II > II. Economic Development : Promoting Private Sector (2.2 Industrial Development) > Sustainable Energy in the Arab States: sub-component on energy for the rural/remote areas

Sustainable Energy in the Arab States
Project / Program Summary
(ongoing)

I. Basic data

Sector(s): Energy
Title: Sustainable Energy in the Arab States: sub-component on energy for the rural/remote areas
Donor country/ organization: UNDP
Other donors / organizations involved: Resource mobilization efforts are ongoing
Beneficiary countries / regions: The project is open to all Arab countries Active participants in the above sub-component: Morocco, (lead country) Sudan, Algeria, Tunisia, Syria, Saudi Arabia
Implementing agencies in beneficiary countries / regions: The project is executed by UNDEAS Sub-component on energy for rural/remote areas is implemented by the Government of Morocco
Duration: Three years
Starting Date: June 1997
Project / Program budget: US$1,246,000 (total)
Finance / Type of cooperation: Technical cooperation

II. Project / program description

  1. Objectives
    This sub-component of the RBAS Energy Programme aims at raising the level and quality of energy service in the rural and remote areas in the Arab countries in order to improve the standard of living of the poor and to raise their quality of life. To this end, it focuses on promoting the development and utilization of renewable energy sources with main emphasis on Solar Power Generation and application.
  2. Activities / contents
    Assessment studies of rural energy development schemes in the region; training, study tours, workshops, adoption of best practices, standards and testing.
  3. Expected outcomes / impacts
    • Improved understanding of the current status and future prospects for renewable energy utilization in the Arab States, diagnostic case studies mainly on solar home-use systems and solar thermal applications.
    • Training of 40 government officials and NGO representatives in NRSE policies and planning (including gender issues), promotion of entrepreneurial activities and enabling financing mechanism.
    • Training 10 entrepreneurs in 5 countries in manufacture, supply and service of solar power generation and use, as well as in gaining access to financing and credit mechanisms.
    • Strengthened service and maintenance infrastructure and skills to ensure the sustainability of rural energy systems.
    • Improved regional cooperation through joint promotional measures, adoption of normative guidelines for assessing local impact and benefits, and standardization of equipment and engineering practices.
  4. Features in line with the Agenda for Action
    Access to reliable, affordable energy service constitutes of the basic capabilities that enables inter alia jobs, health services, education, housing, water, sanitation, etc. The lack of such an energy service correlates closely with many poverty indicators. The initiative would contribute therefore to poverty reduction and to development of local small and medium-size enterprises.

III. Contact point:

United Nations Development Programme
Arab States
One UN Plaza, NY, NY 10017
Tel: 212-906-5450
Fax: 212-906-5487
E-mail: fawaz.fokeladeh@undp.org

(End)

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