Remarks by Elias Magosi at 2026 SADC Sustainable Energy Week 

Remarks by executive secretary of the Southern African Development Community, Elias Magosi. Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, 25 February 2026.

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Ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning.

Allow me to extend my sincere appreciation to the government of Zimbabwe for hosting this event through the Ministry of Energy and Power Development, in collaboration with the Southern African Development Community Secretariat and the Southern African Development Community Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.

As we gather today, we are reminded that energy is not just about kilowatt-hours, joules or infrastructure such as transmission lines and substations. At its core, energy is about people, families, communities, businesses and the survival of nations. It challenges our beliefs and norms while inspiring hope, progress and the fulfilment of our national and regional aspirations.

Through our shared commitment as the Southern African Development Community, we will continue to pursue universal access, energy security, deeper regional integration, and the industrialisation and development our region deserves.

We are honoured by the presence of the vice president of Zimbabwe at this year’s edition of the Southern African Development Community Sustainable Energy Week, held under the theme ‘Driving Regional Economic Growth Through Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency’. 

Your attendance elevates the significance of this event and sends a strong message across the region that energy security is not an abstract policy ambition, but a lifeline for development that touches every household, school, clinic and economic activity.

I also wish to acknowledge and appreciate the participation of ministers from member states responsible for energy. Their willingness to engage in this important dialogue demonstrates our collective commitment to addressing shared energy challenges and finding sustainable solutions together.

I extend gratitude to our sponsors, the private sector and regional partners whose support has been instrumental in organising this event.

The Southern African Development Community Sustainable Energy Week was established as an annual event by the Joint Committee of Ministers responsible for Energy and Water in May 2024 in Angola. The Republic of Botswana hosted the inaugural edition in Gaborone in 2025, beginning a path of collective engagement, building trust among member states and assuring the private sector and other partners of a seat at the table.

We are grateful that the second edition of 2026 is convened here in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. I am informed that the Kingdom of Eswatini is considering hosting the 2027 edition.

Building on the 18 actionable items identified during the 2025 Sustainable Energy Week, this year’s programme includes high-level presentations, panel discussions, business-to-business engagements and networking sessions. Discussions will focus on policy frameworks, including national energy strategies and compacts, as well as investment, financing, grid integration, renewable energy, energy efficiency and a just transition.

This aligns with the theme of the 45th Southern African Development Community Summit of Heads of State and Government: ‘Advancing Industrialisation, Agricultural Transformation, and Energy Transition for a Resilient Southern African Development Community’.

In coordinating implementation of the 18 actionable outcomes, the secretariat reports the following progress.

Member states are developing and implementing national energy compacts to deliver key outcomes, including expanded energy access, stronger political commitment, accelerated off-grid solutions and advancement of the Dar es Salaam Declaration under Mission 300.

The secretariat continues to leverage funding mechanisms for priority regional projects and is working with the Southern African Power Pool to operationalise the Regional Transmission Infrastructure Financing Facility to address critical financing gaps.

In collaboration with the Southern African Power Pool and the Southern African Development Community Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, the Southern African Power Pool Generation and Transmission Master Plan for 2026 to 2040 is under review to ensure integrated planning that incorporates renewable energy and natural gas within a diversified regional mix.

A draft framework on just energy transition for the Southern African Development Community region has been developed and is pending submission to the relevant structures. We commend the United Republic of Tanzania for championing clean cooking initiatives across the region.

Energy security and universal access remain fundamental enablers of regional integration, industrialisation and sustainable economic growth. The region’s total installed generation capacity currently stands at 83 055 megawatts, including 1 548 megawatts from our oceanic member states of Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius and Seychelles.

While progress is evident, we must continue to scale up investment, deepen regional cooperation and accelerate implementation to ensure that no member state is left behind.

Our region continues to face power shortages due to inadequate infrastructure, limited transmission capacity and the intensifying effects of climate change. Installed capacity remains dominated by coal-fired plants, mainly from Botswana, South Africa and Zimbabwe. Coal accounts for 59% of electricity generation in the region, while hydropower contributes 24%.

Encouragingly, the share of lower-carbon sources, including solar, wind and natural gas, has increased from 3% to 12% over the past decade.

The region must continue exploring a broad range of technologies to strengthen energy security and sustainability. These include clean coal technologies, nuclear energy where feasible and in line with international safety standards, and intensified energy efficiency measures across all sectors.

The climate-related droughts of 2024 to 2025, which lowered river levels and reduced hydropower output, exposed our vulnerability. Diversifying our energy mix is imperative. This includes gas-to-power options, cleaner coal technologies, the peaceful use of nuclear energy, green hydrogen and virtual power plants supported by rooftop solar.

These innovations require robust regulatory frameworks to ensure safety, technical compliance, environmental protection and investor confidence through cost-reflective tariffs and effective net metering. Promoting energy efficiency across all sectors will lower demand, reduce service costs and help defer major capital investments.

Electricity access in the Southern African Development Community shows progress alongside persistent gaps. While Mauritius and Seychelles have achieved universal access, the regional weighted average stands at 56%.

Within the region, 11 of 16 member states had completed national energy compacts by January 2026. This milestone demonstrates strong political commitment to advancing energy access, security and sustainability.

These steps must be complemented by investments in generation, transmission, distribution, mini-grids and cross-border electrification initiatives, including those between Zambia and Malawi, Botswana and Zambia, and Lesotho and South Africa. We must intensify efforts to expand electricity access through innovative financing, rural electrification agencies and diversified technological approaches tailored to rural and disadvantaged communities.

I am pleased to report progress on regional interconnector projects. The Malawi-Mozambique interconnector is nearing completion and is tentatively scheduled for commissioning by June 2026. The Tanzania-Zambia interconnector has secured World Bank financing on the Zambian side and is expected to be completed by 2028.

Efforts to link Angola to the Southern African Power Pool network through Namibia have reached the financial structuring stage. Once completed, these priority interconnectors will enable Angola to trade surplus power and support evacuation from major regional projects, including Grand Inga in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mpanda Nkuwa in Mozambique and the Baynes hydropower project between Namibia and Angola.

The Secretariat is engaging oceanic member states to consider joining the Southern African Power Pool and encouraging them to submit priority projects to the Southern African Development Community Project Preparation and Development Facility and the New Partnership for Africa’s Development Infrastructure Project Preparation Facility.

All member states have now established national energy regulators, with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Comoros the most recent. This marks a major step in strengthening regulatory governance and investor confidence.

Energy infrastructure requires significant financing. We call on member states and partners to support priority projects under the Southern African Development Community Regional Infrastructure Development Master Plan Short Term Action Plan for 2023 to 2027, which identifies an energy financing gap of US$18 billion, and to operationalise the Southern African Development Community Regional Development Fund.

To address structural challenges, the secretariat, with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, is developing a framework on just energy transition for submission to ministers. We are also reviewing the regional power generation and transmission master plan and undertaking mid-term reviews of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan and the Regional Energy Access Strategy and Action Plan. We urge member states to ratify the intergovernmental memorandum of agreement establishing the Southern African Development Community Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency.

In conclusion, the 2026 Southern African Development Community Sustainable Energy Week provides a platform for dialogue that must translate into tangible results. By measuring progress and holding ourselves accountable, we can ensure that our collective efforts deliver lasting improvements in energy access and security across the region.

I thank you for your attention.

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