The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2012 as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All).  The UN Secretary General has gone on to launch a global Initiative with the goal of achieving Sustainable Energy for All by the year 2030.  This goal has three linked objectives, namely, (1) ensuring universal access to modern energy services, (2) doubling the rate of improvements in energy efficiency, and (3) doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

Ghana is receiving assistance from UNDP to accelerate implementation of the UN Secretary General’s Initiative with a focus on Energy for Cooking and Productive Uses.  Within this context the Sustainable Energy for All Acceleration Framework (SEAAF) was launched in Accra at a Stakeholder Consultation on Monday 27 February 2012.  The meeting was chaired by the Director of The Energy Center (TEC) acting in his capacity as Board Chairman for the Ghana Energy Commission (GEC).  Two TEC Fellows from the College of Architecture and Planning, Dr Rudith King who is also a GEC Board Member and Mr Owusu Amponsah, also participated in the meeting.  

The Deputy Minister for Energy, Honourable Inusah Fuseini, delivered the keynote address and launched the Ghana SEAAF on behalf of the Minister for Energy, Honourable Dr Joe Oteng-Adjei.  The Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Honourable Sherry Aryeetey, and the UN Resident Coordinator, Ms Ruby  Sandhu-Rojon, also spoke as part of the SEAAF launch ceremony.  Dr Alfred Ofosu Ahenkorah, GEC Executive Secretary, gave the Welcome Address.

The SEAAF approach is based on the MDG Acceleration Framework (MAF) which was developed by the UN to assist countries identify bottlenecks and solutions needed to accelerate progress on lagging MDGs. Drawing on the MAF experience and expertise, the SEAAF activities are being carried out as a collaboration led by the Government of Ghana and including the Ghana UN Country Team, UNDP’s Regional Bureau for Africa and the Bureau for Development Policy, and other major development partners.  

The GEC is representing the Government of Ghana in the SEAAF process and a principle consultant has been recruited with responsibility for three outputs:

• Situation Analysis and baseline of sustainable energy access and sector strengths and weaknesses;

• Prioritized commitments and plan of action broadly agreed upon with implementing partners; and

• Draft partnership agreements for implementation of the plan of action.

The main output, a Ghana SEFA Action Plan on Energy for Cooking and Productive Uses, is expected to be completed in time for presentation at the Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development to held in Brazil, June 2012.  

To view or download the SEAAF Concept and Process Note for Ghana click here

For more information on the UN Secretary-General’s Initiative click here