Sri Lanka-Ethiopia and China discuss South-South Cooperation on renewable energy

Turhan Saleh, Resident Representative of UNDP, Ethiopia, Representative from Chinese Embassy, Sumith Dassanayake, Ambassador of Sri Lanka, Harsha Wickramasinghe, Deputy DG, Sri Lanka Sustainable Energy Authority

S. Ranasinghe, UNDP Sri Lanka, T. Dissanayake,  UNDP, Sri Lanka ,Sumith Dassanayake, Ambassador,  Harsha Wicramasinghe, Sustainable Development Authority, Sureka Perera, UNDP, Sri Lanka

A workshop to promote South-South Cooperation on Renewable Energy: Sri Lanka-Ethiopia and China, was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia under the patronage of United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy of Ethiopia on 31 July.

Sri Lanka and Ethiopia are partnering with China on a trilateral South-South Cooperation to promote sustainable energy solutions focusing on biogas and solar technologies in Sri Lanka and Ethiopia. The duration of the project is for three years.  

Delivering the welcome address, the Resident Representative of UNDP for Ethiopia, Turhan Saleh stated that the project is financed by the Government of China with a provision of $ 2 million, which will be equally shared between Sri Lanka and Ethiopia. 

In his address, the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to African Union, Sumith Dassanayake acknowledged the contribution made by the UNDP and Development partners to develop power and energy sector in Sri Lanka. Ambassador also explained the achievements Sri Lanka has made in the power and energy sector during the last two decades, and the successful involvement of the private sector in renewable energy sector in Sri Lanka. Ambassador Dassanayake also informed that Sri Lankan companies have invented cost effective and reliable power generating plants including solar power units for industrial and domestic use, and they have gained high recognition internationally including in the African continent. He invited the participants to get the products and services of Sri Lankan private sector to fulfil renewable energy requirements of African countries.

The official segment of the program was followed by a workshop and a delegation from Sri Lanka led by the Deputy Director General of Sustainable Energy Authority Harsha Wickramasinghe, representatives of the Chinese and Ethiopian Governments made presentations on recent developments in the renewable energy sector. 

Over 100 guests representing the Ethiopian Government, African Business Chambers and private sector organisations were among the participants.