Kigali, 25 June 2018: Minister of Infrastructure, Amb. Claver Gatete participated in the 20^th Africa Energy Forum (AEF) that took place in Mauritius from 19 to 22 June 2018. The Forum, held annually, is an international energy conference that brings together African policy makers as well as heads of utility companies and investors in the energy sector from across Africa and the world.

This year’s event, which also marked the 20^th anniversary of AEF and its first time being hosted on the African continent, was held under the theme “Reflections on the Last 20 Years and Setting Goals and Action Points for the Next 20 Years”. It was attended by over 1,000 delegates including over 10 ministers in charge of energy from across Africa and Europe, thus creating a platform for sharing fresh insights around how the public and private sectors can effectively work together to achieve energy targets of the future.

The conference essentially attempted to give answers to energy issues relevant to Rwanda, such as solar on-grid solutions (issues regarding land requirement, grid stability and affordability); the sustainability of off-grid solutions as far as their cost of energy is concerned; as well as how regional power pools can better support member countries in achieving their energy targets.

On the sidelines of the conference, the Minister of infrastructure also held several strategic meetings focused on investment and policy briefings with various representatives of energy companies and other officials in attendance. The Rwandan delegation also paid a courtesy call to the acting President of the Republic of Mauritius, H.E. Barlen Vyapoory, which was an opportunity to strengthen the bilateral relations between Rwanda and Mauritius.