Today in Vienna the governments of Ireland and Italy announced increased financial commitments to the REEEP (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership). Ireland and Italy have been donor countries to the REEEP since its inception in 2002.

Today in Vienna the governments of Ireland and Italy announced increased financial commitments to the REEEP (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership). Ireland and Italy have been donor countries to the REEEP since its inception in 2002.

The funding will be targeting "least developed countries" (LDC's) in Africa with a focus on new financial models.

In announcing Ireland's contribution, Environment Minister, Dick Roche, said, "It is important for the developed world to reach out and support developing countries in addressing climate change. REEEP is an ideal mechanism to help secure funding for renewable energy and energy efficiency activities in developing countries and I'm very pleased that it is possible for Ireland to provide funding for 3 projects in least developed countries in Africa". Funding for the three projects is in addition to the annual support provided to REEEP by the Irish Government through Sustainable Energy Ireland.

A Call for Proposals will be issued shortly which will target finance related energy efficiency and renewable energy activities in six African nations. Priority for funding from Ireland will be given to projects in Ethiopia, Lesotho, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia. Submissions from other African LDCs will also be considered.

The Italian government's Mediterranean Renewable Energy Programme (MEDREP) is working closely with the REEEP, and since early this year MEDREP's Tunis office, the Mediterranean Renewable Energy Centre (MEDREC), has been acting as the Northern Africa regional secretariat for the REEEP. The Italian Ministry of Environment and Territory has also recognised the need for attracting finance into the African renewables and energy efficiency sectors.

Corrado Clini, the Director General of the Italian Ministry for the Environment and Territory stated "Africa needs to develop and disseminate opportunities for innovative approaches to financing that may be generated through the carbon market - Kyoto mechanisms - and through the implementation of a tradable renewable energy certificates system involving all Mediterranean countries. Improving access to energy for Africa's poor by leveraging CDM and TRECs processes and building capacity is an Italian priority for region."

The Italian funding for REEEP will be targeting projects in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.

Marianne Osterkorn, International Director for the REEEP welcomed the announcement by the two governments, stating, "Ireland and Italy have been active donors and participants to our partnership. What they are bringing today is assistance for Africa and the ability to focus the financial sector on developing 'bankable' projects in Africa that will help bring sustainable energy services to the 95% of Africa's population who do not currently have access to energy."

For more information contact:

Morgan Bazilian
Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI)
Morgan.Bazilian@sei.ie

Conor Ó Raghallaigh
Irish Department of Environment, Heritage and Local Government (DEHLG)
conor_o'raghallaigh@environ.ie

Mario Lionetti
Italian Ministry of Environment & Territory (IMET)
lionetti.mario@minambiente.it