The African Energy Commission (AFREC), in partnership with the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), has launched a pivotal initiative aimed at building the human skills and institutional capacity of Africa’s energy sector.
The event, held from 27- 29th May in Addis Ababa, marks the opening of a three-day Validation Workshop for the Framework for Cross-Border Strategic Cooperation in Skills Sharing, alongside a regional on-job training on key energy data tools for African Union (AU) Member States.
In his opening address, AFREC Executive Director, Mr Rashid Ali Abdallah emphasised the critical role of capacity building in enhancing energy sector development and transformation to achieve energy security and sustainability across Africa. “This is not just a document, but a strategy to empower African professionals and institutions through structured and impactful skills exchange. It will help position AFREC as the leading continental capacity building hub, responding to Member State’s evolving energy needs,” Mr. Rashid said.
The newly validated Framework for Cross-Border Strategic Cooperation in Skills Sharing is a flagship initiative under AFREC’s Comprehensive Capacity Building Programme for the
African Energy Sector and is structured around four pillars:
- An Online Information Platform to facilitate the exchange of technical expertise and training resources.
- Formal Cooperation Agreements to institutionalize collaborative efforts.
- A Sustainable Funding Mechanism to ensure long-term viability.
- A Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) Framework to assess and improve impact.
Also, speaking at the opening session, Henrik Rydberg from SIDA, reaffirmed Sweden’s commitment to Africa’s development and energy transition. “This long-term cooperation between AFREC and SIDA is an opportunity to strengthen partnerships and synergies between the AU and Sweden, it reinforces shared development goals under AU’s Agenda 2063. Our cooperation with AFREC reflects Sweden’s commitment to facilitating inclusive and sustainable development by supporting technical knowledge, institutional growth, and regional collaboration,” he said
In parallel, AFREC is delivering a three-day on-job regional training on the Energy Balance Questionnaire, as part of efforts to improve energy data collection and analysis under the African Energy Information System (AEIS).
The training includes updates on four critical tools:
- Energy Balance Questionnaire
- Energy Efficiency Questionnaire
- Energy Prices and Taxes Questionnaire
- Questionnaire on Power Plants Capacity
The African Energy Commission also plans to host another session focusing specifically on the Energy Efficiency Questionnaire. The agency plans to use the data from these initiatives to produce AFREC’s key publications including the Africa Energy Balance, Key Africa Energy Statistics, and the Africa Energy Database.
AFREC has since announced the forthcoming launch of its 2025–2030 Strategy for the Improvement and Harmonisation of Energy Statistics in Africa.
-ENDS
For Editors: The African Energy Commission (AFREC) is a specialized agency of the African Union responsible for coordinating and harmonizing energy policy development and implementation across the continent. AFREC’s mission is to promote sustainable energy development through capacity building, data systems, and strategic partnerships.
For more information, please contact:
Executive Director | African Energy Commission (AFREC) | African Union |
email: afrec@africaunion.org | Tel: +213 23 45 9198 | https://www.au-afrec.org | Algiers | Algeria | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn
George Sichinga | Communication Officer | African Energy Commission (AFREC) | African Union | Email: Sichingag@africanunion.org | Tel: +213 23 45 9198 | https://www.au-afrec.org | Algiers | Algeria | Follow Us: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn