SADC Participates at the M300 Africa Energy Summit in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) actively participated in the Mission 300 Africa Energy Summit (M300 AES) held from January 27-28, 2025, at the Julius Nyerere International Conference Centre. The high-level event was jointly organized by the African Development Bank Group (AfDB), the World Bank Group (WBG), the Government of Tanzania, and the African Union.
The summit aimed to reinforce commitments by African leaders to expand electricity access to 300 million people by 2030, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 7.
Out of the 54 African Union member states, 12—including five SADC nations (Democratic Republic of Congo, Madagascar, Malawi, Tanzania, and Zambia)—unveiled their National Energy Compacts, outlining strategic reforms to attract investment in energy infrastructure and clean cooking systems.
The M300 AES Summit brought together 24 Heads of State and Government, alongside key ministers responsible for energy, finance, and foreign affairs. Dignitaries included World Bank President Ajay Banga, African Development Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, and representatives from global financial institutions such as the Rockefeller Foundation and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).
In her opening address, Tanzanian President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan reaffirmed her country’s commitment to expanding electricity access beyond 70% by 2035. As Africa’s Champion for clean cooking solutions, she highlighted the transformative impact of electricity and clean cooking systems on the lives of women and girls. Tanzania’s current energy mix, comprising hydropower, natural gas, and geothermal, is well-positioned to meet national demand.
From a regional perspective, Tanzania is connected to four of its eight neighboring countries. The ongoing development of the Tanzania-Zambia interconnector, part of the Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya (ZTK) initiative, will facilitate power trading between the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) and the East African Power Pool (EAPP), enabling energy flow from Cape Town to Cairo.
Other projects, including the Mozambique-Tanzania and Malawi-Tanzania interconnectors, as well as the Songwe River Basin Development Programme (SRBDP), aim to integrate energy, water, food security, and environmental sustainability.
Financial commitments from multilateral institutions were a key highlight of the summit. The World Bank pledged $30-40 billion, the African Development Bank $10-15 billion, and the Rockefeller Foundation $20 billion towards expanding electricity access.
Other commitments included $2.65 billion from the Islamic Development Bank, $1.5 billion from the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank, $1 billion from the OPEC Fund, and $1 billion from Agence Française de Développement (AFD).
Representing SADC, Executive Secretary H.E. Elias M. Magosi emphasized the role of regional energy projects outlined in strategic frameworks such as the Continental Power Systems Master Plan (CMP), the Southern African Power Generation and Transmission Master Plan (SAPP Pool Plan), and the Short-Term Action Plan (STAP II) under the Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan (RIDMP).
These initiatives seek to raise regional electricity access from 55% to 85% by 2030 under the SADC Regional Energy Access Strategy and Action Plan (REASAP).
During the summit, H.E. Magosi engaged with ministers of energy and finance, as well as representatives from multilateral development banks, to discuss financing gaps in the energy sector and the need for increased investment in regional power infrastructure.
On the sidelines of the event, H.E. Magosi also paid a courtesy visit to President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan in her capacity as Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence, and Security Cooperation. The meeting addressed pressing security concerns in the SADC region.
Accompanying the SADC Executive Secretary was Senior Programme Officer for Energy, Mr. Moses Ntlamelle.
