“Energy, and sustainable access to energy, is a great development enabler for infrastructure development, industrialisation and economic growth. It also facilitates access to the evolving digital economy, which will be key to future African growth and development,” comments Ian McKechnie, CEO of management, project and engineering advisors Engenamic, on the capacity-building programme initiative, enableAfrica, that it is spearheading together with the University of the Witwatersrand.
He adds that particular challenges are facing the electrical energy sector in Africa. “For example, the continent is characterised by large distances between natural sources of energy and load centres, and there is deep disparity in the nature of the energy grids that will need to be established and interconnected to realise a sustainable energy future. Furthermore, off-grid electrification is also a major component in developing access to electricity across Africa.”
McKechnie states that the aim of the enableAfrica programme is to establish and facilitate a collaborative and inclusive pan-African network, aimed at building and unlocking broad-based sustainable capacity in infrastructure development, establishment and operation, through:
• Skills development for sustainable capacity.
• Relevant research and knowledge development, focused towards African needs and priorities.
• Confidence building, through facilitating and supporting investment, engineering and technical and project support.
A key objective of the programme is to build this broad-based sustainable capacity in Africa, for Africa, and (as far as possible) by Africa, and in so doing, to synergise with existing and future organisations, agencies and programmes.
He explains that the approach adopted in formulating the initiative and associated vision must be an inclusive one. South Africa, and the African region, are faced by real constraints, including the availability of skilled and financial resources. It is therefore important that all existing facilities and capabilities across the continent be leveraged and mutually supported.
McKechnie concludes that as the team engages with role players across the continent to develop this inclusive enableAfrica initiative further, they are excited and enthused by the potential to meet the challenges and to build sustainable enabling capacity in the energy sector – by Africa, in Africa, for Africa.
For more information contact Ian McKechnie, Engenamic, +27 (0)12 663 4804, [email protected], www.engenamic.com
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