Kigali, 1 - 2 November 2016. An impressive list of experts from the energy sector met in Kigali to address iPAD Rwanda 3^rd edition under the theme: Rwanda’s Strategic Energy Outlook. The forum gathered investors, project developers, finance houses, construction and planning companies, technology providers from Rwanda, the region and from the rest of the world as well as high-level government representatives.

The Minister of Infrastructure, Honorable James Musoni, delivered the welcome address and embraced the meeting as an opportunity for African Countries and the world to share experiences and come up with development strategies that promote energy infrastructure, and forge partnerships for Sustainable development. During the opening session, the Minister officially launched the Sustainable Energy for ALL (SE4ALL) Action Agenda in Rwanda.

Rwanda has officially become part of a global universal energy initiative, dubbed “Sustainable Energy for All,” a United Nations-led initiative geared toward actions and commitments to positively transform the world’s energy systems.

The decision was made, during the third annual iPAD Rwanda Energy Infrastructure Forum in Kigali, and the initiative will attempt to address the high dependence on biomass fuels in the country and reduce from the current 85 per cent use to about 50 per cent by 2020 while the target is fewer than 30 per cent by 2030.

Rwanda Energy Group (REG) Chief Executive Officer Jean Bosco Mugiraneza said the agency targets to reach 70 per cent of the population and 100 per cent of Government institutions by 2018. This creates a huge room for private public partnership to boost local capacities and make necessary investments towards the ambitions. More players are encouraged to invest in the off-grid power solutions provision operating in the country.

The meeting was also attended by Dr Cheluget Kipyego, the Assistant Secretary General-COMESA as a featured speaker during the official opening keynote session of iPAD Rwanda Energy Infrastructure Forum with focus on An overview of power trade and energy infrastructure within in the region.

Rwanda targets 563MW by 2018, currently with the installed capacity of 190MW and has an electricity penetration rate of about 27% with grid solutions contributing a majority of 25% while non-grid solutions contribute 2%.