The Southern African Development Community (SADC) will convene the Joint meeting of the Committees of Ministers responsible for Energy and responsible for Water in Harare, Republic of Zimbabwe, on 04 July 2025. This ministerial meeting aims to strengthen regional collaboration and assess progress on key initiatives in the energy and water sectors.
The meeting will be preceded by a session of SADC Senior Officials on Energy and Water from 30 June to 02 July 2025.
In the Energy sector, Ministers will deliberate on critical issues including:
- The status of energy demand and supply across the SADC region;
- Implementation of regional energy infrastructure projects aimed at enhancing energy security and regional integration;
- The integration and progress on uptake of renewable energy in the regional energy mix;
- Preparedness for the implementation of the Dar es Salaam Declaration on Mission 300, which seeks to provide electricity access to at least 300 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa by 2030;
- Development and regulation of the energy sector including petroleum and gas subsectors;
- Adoption of emerging technologies such as green hydrogen and smart grids.,;
- Recommendations from the regional Stakeholders’ Dialogue on a Just Energy Transition Framework for the SADC region;
- Follow-up on the outcomes of the SADC Energy Sustainable Week and planning for the next event.
In the Water sector, Ministers will assess:
- Progress on regional and transboundary water projects led and implemented by River Basin Organisations and Shared Water Institutions;
- Delivery of water and sanitation services in SADC Member States;
- Implementation of previous Council decisions;
- Advancement of SADC groundwater and livelihood grant projects;
- Development and implementation of Climate Resilient Infrastructure projects, including the World Bank-supported Regional Climate Resilience Project and the SADC Hydrological Cycle Observation System (SADC-HYCOS);
- The SADC Water Policy Review and other key policy initiatives.
Importantly, the Joint Ministerial session will coincide with the 30th Anniversary of the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP), established by a Council Decision in August 1995. This milestone will be commemorated with a celebration hosted by the Government of Zimbabwe in Harare on 03rd July 2025.
This upcoming meeting underscores SADC’s commitment to regional integration, sustainable development, and improving access to energy and water services for all its citizens.