Posted on September, 10 2015

Tanzania is one of the first countries in Africa to adopt the SE4ALL Initiative, regarding it as an implementation tool for the emerging Sustainable Development Goal on Energy- To ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all. It is also part of its energy sector mid-term planning component.

This was the main subject expounded by Energy stakeholders’ representatives from civil society organizations in Tanzania in a recent platform to add inputs into the first draft of Tanzania’s SE4ALL Action Agenda.

The theme is based on a framework proposing a global action agenda for universal energy access, foster energy efficiency and boost investment in renewable energy
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Dr. Teresia Olemako, WWF Tanzania’s Energy program Coordinator said to the platform participants that ‘the rate of access to modern energy is very low in the country, with only 24 percent of Tanzanians being connected to the grid’. This includes seven percent of the rural folks, she said.

During discussions it came to light that 85 per cent of Tanzania’s energy comes from biomass with 11 percent coming from petroleum. Three percent comes from final-energy electricity and one percent comes from other sources. This is the country’s energy mix

However the Ministry of Energy and Minerals- MEM plans to raise the number of Tanzanians connected to the grid to 30 percent by end of 2015. The number should rise to 50 per cent in 2025 and to 75 percent by 2033
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Participants observed that at the current rate of rural electrification and without political interference, the MEM’s targets could be reached as the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has supplied electricity to many villagers, some of whom had never dreamt of seeing it in their lifetime.

During the stakeholders platform WWF Tanzania Energy program supported CSOs who came together to initiate their forum known as Sustainable Energy - SEF where forum leaders were elected and they pledged to work hand in hand with other CSO members as far as Sustainable Energy for all- SE4ALL is headed.