Africa-EU Energy Partnership’s (AEEP) New Head of Secretariat aims for Expanded Dialogues on AU-EU Energy Ambitions

Press Release

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – 22 October 2024 – The Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP) is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Towela Nyirenda-Jere as the new Head of Secretariat for the partnership, succeeding Mr Johan van den Berg. The transition coincides with a move of the Head of Secretariat position – from Bonn in Germany to Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. The official handover took place during the AEEP Steering Group meeting in Addis Ababa on 22 October.

– I am excited to join the Secretariat and contribute to strengthening the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP) through continued dialogue and exchanges between the two sides. I see immense opportunities for the AEEP to make tangible impact in meeting the global targets of SDG7 and in investments that will change the energy outlook for both continents, says Nyirenda-Jere.

Dr Nyirenda-Jere brings a wealth of experience from the energy sector in Africa, having previously worked as the Head for Infrastructure, Digitalisation & Energy at the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD). She holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from the University of Kansas and a Master of Arts in Contemporary Diplomacy, and is experienced in programme development, coordination, and implementation of cross-border infrastructure projects. During her tenure with AUDA-NEPAD, she played a key role in coordination and implementation of the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) and the development of the Continental Power Systems Masterplan (CMP).

The AEEP extends its sincere gratitude to Mr Van den Berg for his dedication and contributions to advancing the partnership’s goals during his tenure. Van den Berg concludes that the past five years have been eventful for the partnership, including tackling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which also tested the financing of African energy ambitions. Nevertheless, he is pleased to see that Africa and Europe have moved past planning and into the implementation phase of the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM), the Continental Power System Masterplan (CMP), and the Africa Energy Efficiency Strategy (AfEES).

– These are the three key documents that will lead us into the future in the actual build-out of an African energy system that has great ambitions in terms of economic growth, expansion of GDP and regional integration. The AEEP is going into a new phase, and it is extremely well placed to continue playing the dialogue role in what will be very exciting times, van den Berg notes.

Having followed the work of the AEEP for almost 10 years in her previous roles, Dr Nyirenda-Jere notes that she wishes to maintain the solid foundations laid by the previous leadership of the Secretariat and aims to build on it to expand the dialogue. 

– The partnership has established itself well in terms of being that bridge between the implementation and the dialogue. The question is how you extend that dialogue to other actors that are not necessarily within that political realm but that still have a bearing on what happens and how do we make sure that the right information reaches the right people at the right time, Jere concludes.

Launched in 2007 at the AU-EU Summit in Lisbon, Portugal, the AEEP serves as the key political platform for energy cooperation between Africa and Europe. The AEEP aims to facilitate universal access to affordable, sustainable, and modern energy services across Africa, by fostering political dialogue, sharing knowledge, and capacitating African institution.

Watch more on the AEEP’s YouTube: Dr Towela Nyirenda-Jere appointed as Head of Secretariat for Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP).