BUJUMBURA, October 6th (ABP) – The Ministry of Hydraulics, Energy and Mines closed on Thursday, October 5, 2023, in Bujumbura City Council, the activities counting for the second edition of Burundi Renewable Energy Access Days (BREAD), organized by the Global Off-Grid Solar Industry Association (GOGLA), the Alliance for Rural Electrification (ARE), the European Union ( EU), the World Bank and the Burundi Renewable Energy Association (BUREAU), with the support of GET invest Burundi funded by the EU, from October 3 to 5, 2023.
In his closing speech, the Director General of Energy at the Ministry in charge of energy, Martin Ndayizeye, congratulated the participants on the work accomplished through the themes developed and the panels held during the three days. He also indicated that the renewable energy sector presents assets in Burundi for both the public and private sectors.
According to Martin Ndayizeye, the need for electrical energy is still there and the government of Burundi will use all the mechanisms at its disposal to increase the energy supply and connect all households in the country. The participation of the private sector in the development of renewable energies is essential because its services are of good quality, he stressed.
This event was, according to Ndayizeye, a good opportunity for participants from the national and international private sector to learn new technologies and to have partner contacts to prepare bankable projects in collaboration with the general directorate of energy and to deposit them with the partners for financing.
On the sidelines of that event, the minister responsible for energy recommended calling on the private sector to actively prepare for the implementation of the program of universal access to renewable energy and also called on the non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the various renewable energy agencies to become more active in the promotion of renewable energies and the popularization of new technologies in this sector with a view to allowing access to energy for all and the fight against climate change.
Local banks are also asked to finance renewable energy projects in order to participate in the development of the energy sector, insisted Martin Ndayizeye, the DG of energy at the Ministry of Hydraulics, Energy and Mines.