In Ethiopia the GTZ Energy Coordination Office (ECO) has been established to support rural electrification through small-scale solar and hydropower plants in Ethiopia. The ECO now hosts a new, recently merged Ethio-German Energy program which was launched last week.
The coordination office will also promote energy-saving stoves which reduce firewood usage and offer policy and strategy advice to the Ethiopian government on improved energy service delivery.
The office was opened by Getahun Moges from the Ethiopian Electric Agency; Michael Biontino, Chargé D’Affairs of the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany; Geert Geut, Chargé D’Affairs of the Embassy of the Royal Kingdom of the Netherlands; and Ulrich Mohr, GTZ Country Director, GTZ said in a statement.
“The Energy Office creates a platform for improved framework conditions for the rapid growth of renewable and appropriate energy sources in Ethiopia,” Getahun Moges was quoted as saying according to the Daily Monitor.
Michael Biontino said “I am proud and delighted to see the full acceptance of the new Energy Coordination Office as a necessary and logical next step forward in our nationwide involvement in the energy sector.” While Geert Geut said “I am very pleased that the cooperation with my Embassy is very functional and that the GTZ energy program is closely working with the Dutch funded projects and that Dutch consultants are actively involved in advisory and appraisal functions.”
Finally, Mr. Ulrich Mohr commented that: “We are looking now at an Energy Coordination Office under which the energy activities of German Development Cooperation are integrated and accompanied by policy advisory services in response to the specific request from the Ministry of Mines and Energy." In order to ensure a coherent and effective strategy for improved energy supplies, GTZ said ECO works with national and international partners in Ethiopia.
“The Ministry of Mines and Energy has assigned experts for fine tuning and joint implementation activities based on the Memorandum of Understanding recently signed with GTZ.”
Operational plans are currently being developed both with the Ministry as well as the Ministry’s implementation offices, such as the Ethiopian Alternative Energy Development and Promotion Centre (EAEDPC).
ECO is jointly funded by the Netherlands Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS) and the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the ‘Energizing Development’ initiative, or EnDev, which works throughout Africa and recognizes that access to energy is critical for sustainable development, poverty reduction and achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the statement added.