PROGRAM

Program Agenda

U.S.-Africa Energy Ministerial

'Catalyzing Sustainable Energy Growth in Africa'

 

 

 

Monday, June 2, 2014

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12:00 – 19:00  Participant Registration and Badging

Venue: Ghion Hotel

Stadium around Meskel Square

1643 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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13:00 – 15:30  ‘Business to Business Matchmaking Opportunity’  Application Here

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18:00 – 20:00  Evening Reception

 

Venue: U.S. Embassy, Addis Ababa

Logistics: All Ministerial participants are welcome to attend the Evening Reception. Participants’ badges will serve as the identification necessary for entrance into the U.S. Embassy.

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Tuesday, June 3, 2014

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08:45 – 10:30  Opening Ceremony and Plenary Session - Theme: Catalyzing Sustainable Energy Growth in Africa

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Large Conference Hall

Open Press

 

Opening Ceremony

Cultural Presentation

 

Featured Speaker(s):

 

H.E. Alemayehu Tegenu, Minister of Water, Irrigation, and Energy, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

H.E. Ernest J. Moniz, Secretary of Energy, United States of America

H.E. Elham Mahmood Ahmed Ibrahim, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union

H.E. Hailemariam Desalegn, Prime Minister, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

 

Opening Plenary Session

Opening Remarks:

 

Dr. Daniel Yergin, Chairman, Cambridge Energy Research Associates

The Program for Infrastructure Development in Africa:

Mr. Philippe Niyongabo, Head of Energy Division, Department of Infrastructure and Energy, African Union

Ethiopia's Energy Sector Development as a Typical African Case

Mr. Miheret Debebe, Energy Policy, Strategy and International Relations Advisor, Ministry of Water, Irrigation and Energy, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

 

The Opening Plenary Session of the U.S.–Africa Energy Ministerial will feature keynote remarks that highlight current global energy trends, examine energy infrastructure requirements and opportunities in Africa, and discuss Ethiopia’s energy sector development as an example of a ‘typical African case.’

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10:30 – 10:45  Coffee Break

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Lobby

Closed Press

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10:45 – 12:45  Session I:  Governance as a Catalyst for Investment and Sustainable Energy Growth

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Large Conference Hall

Closed Press

 

Featured Speaker(s):

 

Mr. Paul Hanrahan, CEO, American Capital Infrastructure Management

H.E. Isak Katali, Minister of Mines and Energy, Republic of Namibia

Mr. Swithin Munyantwali, Executive Director , International Law Institute African Centre for Legal Excellence

Mr. Alex Rugamba, Director, Energy, Environment and Climate Change, African Development Bank

Mr. Admassu Y. Tadesse, President and CEO, PTA Bank

Moderator: Ms. Gayle Smith, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director at the National Security Council, United States of America

 

Session I will focus on the policy and regulatory reforms that are critical for encouraging investment in energy sector development and infrastructure projects.

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12:45 – 14:15  Lunch - Upstream Oil and Gas Development

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Multi-purpose Hall

Closed Press

 

Featured Speaker(s):

 

Mr. Jason Bordoff, Director, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University

Mr. Marco Caccavale, President and CEO, GE Oil & Gas Africa

Mr. Tewodros Ashenafi, Chairman and CEO, SouthWest Energy (HK) Ltd

 

Moderator: Jonathan Elkind, Acting Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy

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14:15 – 16:00  Session II: U.S. Government and Multilateral Tools for Encouraging Energy Financing

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Large Conference Hall

Closed Press

 

Featured Speaker(s):

 

Mr. Jamal Saghir, Director, Sustainable Development, Africa Region, World Bank

Mr. Fred Hochberg, Chairman, Export Import Bank of the United States

Ms. Leocadia Zak, Director, U.S. Trade and Development Agency

Mr. Kamran Khan, Vice President, Department of Compact Operations, Millennium Challenge Corporation

Mr. Tim Turner, Director, Private Sector Development, African Development Bank

 

Moderator: Mr. John MacWilliams, Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

 

Session II will explore the energy infrastructure financing tools available from the U.S. Government and multilateral development banks. The presentation will focus on how companies and countries can take advantage of these financing tools.

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16:00 – 16:15  Tea Break

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Lobby

Closed Press

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16:15 – 18:00  Concurrent Sessions III, IV, and V

 

Closed Press

 

Three concurrent sessions will address specific catalysts for sustainable energy growth.

 

Session III: Mini-Grids as a Catalyst for Sustainable Energy Growth

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Medium Conference Hall

 

Featured Speaker(s):

 

H.E. Mamadou Frankaly Keita, Minister of Energy and Hydraulics, Republic of Mali

H.E. Charles Muhangwa Kitwanga, Deputy Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources, United Republic of Tanzania

H.E. Patrick Sendolo, Minister of Land, Mines, and Energy, Republic of Liberia

Dr. Pepukaye Bardouille, Energy Access Lead, Sustainable Business Advisory, International Finance Corporation

Mr. Christopher Hornor, Founder and CEO, Powerhive, Inc.

Dr. John Agwunobi, Vice Chair, U.S. African Development Foundation Board of Directors, United States of America

 

Moderator: Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, Chairman, United Nations – Energy

 

Session III will provide decision-makers with an understanding of the technical, economic, and policy issues related to mini-grid systems in Africa, as well as a menu of options for scaling up their deployment.

 

Session IV: Energy Efficiency: Saving Energy and Providing Economic and Environmental Benefits

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Small Conference Hall 1

 

Featured Speaker(s):

H.E. Mohamed Shaker, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Arab Republic of Egypt

Mr. Bah Saho, Renewable Energy Expert, ECOWAS Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency

Mr. Robert Ichord, Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. State Department Energy Bureau

Mr. Peter du Pont, Vice-President, International Development Consulting, Nexant, Inc.

 

Moderator: Mr. David Sandalow, Inaugural Fellow, Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University

 

Session IV will explore how energy efficiency policies, markets, and standards can positively impact residential, commercial, industrial and government-owned buildings. The Panel will showcase successful examples in Africa and explore collaboration opportunities.

 

Session V: Women and Energy Leadership

 

Venue:  African Union Conference Center, Small Conference Hall 2

 

Panelist(s):

 

H.E. Irene Muloni, Ugandan Minister of Energy and Mineral Development

H.E. Maimouna Ndoye Seck, Senegalese Minister of Energy

Dr. Elham Mahmood Ahmed Ibrahim, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union

Ms. Paula Jackson, President, American Association of Blacks in Energy

Ms. Bisa Williams, Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of State

 

Moderator: H.E. Patricia M. Haslach, Ambassador, Embassy of the United States of America to Ethiopia

 

Session V will explore how women's roles in the energy sector have evolved, and review the experiences of women in energy leadership positions.

 

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19:30 – 21:30  Gala Dinner

Venue: Sheraton Addis Hotel, Taitu Street, Addis Ababa

Closed Press

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Wednesday, June 4, 2014

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08:00 – 9:00   Continental Breakfast

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Lobby

Closed Press

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09:00 – 09:30  Keynote Remarks: Global Energy Trends and Statistics

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Large Conference Hall

Closed Press

 

Keynote Speaker:

 

Fatih Birol, Chief Economist, International Energy Agency

 

Introductions: H.E. Ernest Moniz, Secretary, U.S. Department of Energy

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09:30 – 11:00  Session VI: Power Africa: Progress To-Date and Path Forward

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Large Conference Hall

Closed Press

 

Opening Remarks:

Dr. Rajiv Shah, Administrator, United States Agency for International Development

 

Featured Speaker(s):

H.E. Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power, Federal Republic of Nigeria

H.E. Davis Chirchir, Secretary of Energy, Republic of Kenya

Mr. Fabrice Kermorgant, Vice President, Commercial Operations, General Electric Power and Water

Ms. Elizabeth Littlefield, President, Overseas Private Investment Corporation, United States of America

Mr. Michael Philipp, Chairman of the Board, Reykjavik Geothermal

 

Moderator: Mr. Andrew Herscowitz, Coordinator, Power Africa and Trade Africa, United States Agency for International Development

 

Session VI will highlight success stories and lessons learned from the Power Africa initiative and its partner countries. The discussion will also review ways in which the Power Africa initiative can grow and evolve.

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11:00 – 11:15  Coffee Break

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Lobby

Closed Press

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11:15 – 13:00  Concurrent Panel Sessions VII,  VIII and IX

Three simultaneous sessions will address specific catalysts for sustainable energy growth.

 

Closed Press

 

Session VII: The Role of Renewable Energy as a Catalyst for Sustainable Energy Growth

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Small Conference Hall 1

 

Panelist(s):

 

H.E. Kemel Ben Naceur, Minister of Industry, Energy, and Mining, Tunisian Republic

Ms. Gauri Singh, Director of Country Support and Partnerships, International Renewable Energy Agency

Dr. Marc van Gerven, Vice President, Global Marketing, First Solar

Mr. Mayank Bhargava, Managing Director, NextGen Solawazi

Mr. Nachman Isaac, Vice President of Project Finance, Ormat Technologies

H.E. Christopher Yaluma, Minister of Mines, Energy, and Water Development, Republic of Zambia

Eng. Zelalem Gebrehiwot, Technical Director, East African Power Pool

 

 

Moderator: Mr. Kenneth Hansen, Partner, Chadbourne & Park, LLP

 

Session VII will discuss the role of renewable energy technology in meeting Africa’s energy needs and review best practices for deploying renewable energy projects successfully in Africa. The panel will specifically focus on utilizing solar, wind, and geothermal resources.

 

Session VIII: Natural Gas Development and Utilization as a Catalyst for Sustainable Growth

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Medium Conference Hall

 

Featured Speaker(s):

 

H.E. Emmanuel Armarh Kofi Buah, Minister of Energy and Petroleum , Republic of Ghana

H.E. Ahmed Messili, Secretary General, Ministry of Energy, People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria

H.E. Anibel Octávio Teixeira da Silva, State Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum, Republic of Angola

Mr. Andrew Fawthrop, Managing Director, Nigeria/Mid-Africa Strategic Business Unit, Chevron

Mr. Eric Toumayan, Director, Government Relations, APR Energy

 

Moderator: Mr. Christopher A. Smith, Acting Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy, U.S. Department of Energy

 

Session VIII will explore both the technical and regulatory aspects of deploying successful gas-to-power projects and discuss gas exports and other gas utilization projects in Africa. Session VIII will discuss the gas development challenges in countries with established gas production as well as those on the cusp of production.

 

Session IX: Improving Grid Reliability with Regional Networks and Smart Grid Applications

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Small Conference Hall 2

 

Featured Speaker(s):

Mr. Alison Chikova, Chief Engineer, Southern African Power Pool

H.E. Monsieur Desire Guedon, Minister of Energy and Hydraulic Resources, Gabonese Republic (i)

H.E. Dammipi Noupokou, Minister of Mines and Energy, Togolese Republic

 

Moderator: Mr. Abel Didier Tella, Director General, African Power Utilities Union

 

Session IX will highlight regional African efforts to improve electricity grid services throughout Africa, as well as the role of Smart Grid applications for raising grid resiliency.

 

​13:00 – 14:30  Energy-Water Nexus Lunch

 

Venue: African Union Conference Center, Small Conference Hall 2

 

Featured Speaker (s)

 

H.E. Ernest J. Moniz, Secretary of Energy, United States of America

H.E. Abdelkader Aamara, Minister of Energy, Mines, Water, and Environment, Kingdom of Morocco

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14:30 – 16:00  A Ministers’ Closed Door Discussion will take place at the same time as Session X

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14:30 – 16:00  Session X: Empowering the Next Generation:  Connecting African Nations and the United States through Technical Instruction and Exchanges

 

Venue:  African Union Conference Center, Small Conference Hall 1

Closed Press

 

A Minister's Closed Door Discussion will take place at the same time as Session X

 

Brief Opening Remarks:
H.E. Anibal Silva, Secretary of State for Petroleum, Republic of Angola

 

Featured Speaker(s):

Dr. John J. Qu, Director, Global Environment and Natural Resources Institute, George Mason University

Dr. Yonas Chebude, Addis Ababa University

Dr. Subramania I. Sritharan, Dean and Professor of Water Resources Management and Environmental Engineering, College of Science and Engineering, Central State University

Dr. Olugbemiga Olatidoye, Coordinator, Dual Degree Engineering Program, Clark Atlanta University

Mr. Kevon Makell, President and CEO, SEWW Energy

Mr. Barry Worthington, Executive Director of the United States Energy Association

 

Moderator: Ms. LaDoris “Dot” Harris, Director, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, Department of Energy, United States of America

 

Session X will highlight the positive role that partnerships among U.S. and African universities, governments, and the private sector can play in energy sector technical capacity-building.  The panel will explore skills needed to successfully develop energy resources and best practices for creating and implementing successful technical exchange programs.

 

​16:00 – 17:00  Closing Plenary

 

Venue:  African Union Conference Center, Large Conference Hall

Open Press

 

Moderator: Ms. Gayle Smith, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director at the National Security Council, United States of America

 

Featured Speaker (s)

H.E. Ernest J. Moniz, Secretary of Energy, United States of America

H.E. Alemayehu Tegenu, Minister of Water, Irrigation, and Energy, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Dr. Daniel Yergin, Chairman, Cambridge Energy Research Associates

H.E. Elham Mahmood Ahmed Ibrahim, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union

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To download Draft Agenda click here