Ms. Kornelia Silishebo, Project Coordinator, represented the SADC Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (SACREEE) at the 2nd Accelerated Partnership for Renewables in Africa (APRA) Investment Forum held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from 20 to 23 October 2025. Hosted by the Government of Sierra Leone and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the Forum convened governments, development partners, and industry experts to advance the continent’s energy transition and mobilise investment for renewable energy. Currently, APRA’s member countries include Djibouti, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Mozambique, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, the latter 3 being SADC member states. The partnership’s founding partners are Denmark, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, and the United States of America, with IRENA and the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) serving as the Secretariat.
Ms. Silishebo joined the “Skilling and Workforce Development to Accelerate Renewables” workshop, where recommendations were shaped on how Africa can build a skilled, inclusive energy workforce. Her insights were on measures to empower underrepresented groups, notably women and youth, highlighting SACREEE’s gender and youth initiatives (i.e. Energising Women to Advance the Energy Transition in the SADC Region; the Southern African Solar Thermal Training and Demonstration Initiative Plus (SOLTRAIN+); and the SADC Renewable Energy Entrepreneurship Support Facility). Stakeholders stressed the need to expand vocational training, modernise curricula, and promote workforce mobility regionally for impactful, inclusive growth.
Discussions at the Investment Forum focused on real finance gaps, pragmatic project development, and barriers to increasing energy access. The ministerial debate emphasised the critical need to align renewable policies with national priorities and strengthen cross-border interconnections. The Forum concluded with Ministers adopting a joint statement affirming commitment to accelerate implementation, deepen regional collaboration, and foster green industrialisation.