DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- The East African Community (EAC) Sectoral Council on Energy, Petroleum, and Mining has agreed to establish an institution for renewable energy and energy efficiency, the EAC said in a statement on Tuesday.
The statement said the decision was made during the 16th Meeting of the Sectoral Council of Ministers on Energy held in Tanzania's northern city of Arusha, the headquarters of the EAC.
The overarching mandate of the institution was to galvanize EAC member states and provide a mechanism, through which the private sector and development partners can play a key role in supporting the member states of the regional bloc to close their energy-access deficits, meet increasing energy demands, and contribute to climate action, said the statement.
The statement said the institution was further expected to drive significant progress in renewable energy adoption and energy efficiency promotion.
According to the statement, this will contribute to national and regional development and support global efforts to combat climate change and promote sustainable energy.
The EAC is a regional intergovernmental organization of eight member states that aims to promote economic, political, and social integration in East Africa. ■
