Member Exclusive

Tucson, Arizona, December 15, 1999

JOINT STATEMENT ON SUSTAINABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION IN SUPPORT OF THE ENVIRONMENT

The Ministers responsible for energy for the countries of the African continent or their representatives (listed below) and the Secretary of Energy of the United States, hereby referred to as the Energy Ministers, met in Tucson, Arizona, on December 13-15, 1999, and discussed the unique needs of Africa, including its serious energy shortages, limited access to exploitation and consumption of energy, and heavy dependence on traditional energy resources, taking into account its diversity and enormous potential .

As a result, the Energy Ministers agree to initiate a sustained cooperative effort, through governmental leadership and participation of the private, business and other sectors, including regional and sub-regional economic, intergovernmental, multilateral, and non-governmental organizations, to support the growth of adequate, accessible, environmental safe and sound, secure, and affordable energy supplies.

The Energy Ministers stress the importance of the energy sector's role in poverty alleviation, social and economic development, and enhancing overall environmental protection on a local, national, regional, and global basis to improve people's health and education, promote sustainable economic development, and improve the overall quality of life in the 21st century and beyond.

GOALS OF COOPERATION

The Energy Ministers recognize energy's importance in economic development and in order to succeed in making sustainable energy development a reality, continued and aggressive efforts are needed to: promote the development of energy sources through exploration and production and through research and development; increase energy production and access to affordable energy; remove impediments to energy trade and investment; promote projects that address local, regional and global environmental concerns, including desertification and deforestation; promote institutional and infrastructure development and human capacity building; and further increase opportunities for African employment and for private sector participation in the development of energy industry partnerships.

Toward these ends, the Energy Ministers are committed to continue strengthening their cooperation in their effort to integrate their energy sector, economic social, and environmental policies.

The Energy Ministers, recognizing the priorities of development for Africa, agree that sustainable energy policies and development are integral elements of any strategy to minimize or reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to reduce Africa's vulnerability to the negative impacts to the climate change. Within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, all signatory countries have undertaken common, but differentiated responsibilities to address climate change. The Energy Ministers recognize that effective energy policies are fundamental to meeting these responsibilities.

Thus, the energy Ministers reaffirm their commitment to the implementation of effective energy policies and to take concrete steps to establish policies and programs that will enhance investment and partnerships in clean energy technologies and the efficient production and utilization of traditional energy sources, and increase access to energy for Africa's people. The Energy Ministers also recognize the value of technology transfer and the use of market-based mechanisms among others to address climate change. The Energy Ministers further recognize that countries may elect, through their commitments, to take full advantage of these mechanisms, if they wish to do so.

TARGETED AREAS FOR COOPERATION

Regional Energy Integration: programs and activates, among government and public and private sectors, to promote:

1. electricity grid interconnection and power pooling, including supply and transmission development
2. joint oil and gas exploration and transportation
3. other regional, sub-regional, and transboundary energy infrastructure projects, such as oil and gas pipelines
4. human capacity building
5. industry partnerships in the energy sector and in environmental protection.

Rural Electrification and Energy Supply: urgent action, involving cooperation of government, public and private sectors, and multilateral institutions, to increase the means of production and access to affordable energy and to bring clean and cost-effective energy systems to Africa's rural areas using grid-connected and off-grid technologies, self-contained systems, distribution, and end-use technologies.

Clean Energy Sources and Energy Efficiency: programs, with cooperation, among government and public and private sectors, to promote cooperation among African nations and the U.S. on:

1. clean energy sources in such areas as solar, wind, ocean, geothermal, hydro, biomass, natural gas, coal-bed methane development, smokeless fuel, circulating fluidized bed coal technology, and other clean coal technologies.
   
   
2. energy efficiency in such areas as cooking, commercial and residential buildings, agriculture, transportation, electric motor systems, appliance standards, cogeneration, industrial process controls, lighting, and transformers.

Urban Air Quality: programs with governmental cooperation on energy-related air pollution issues in such areas as air quality monitoring, development and implementation of emissions standards, housing (codes, building materials, heating, and cooking), and the reduction of lead from gasoline and other harmful air pollutants; and enhanced business sector involvement in natural gas infrastructure development, coal gasification, manufacture and use of energy efficient homes, appliances and vehicles, emissions monitoring equipment, and improved and alternative vehicle fuels.

PRINCIPLES OF COOPERATION

The Energy Ministers actively support international, multilateral, regional, and bilateral cooperation in targeted fields; welcome investment and economic and technology cooperation throughout Africa on open and reciprocal terms to meet energy needs and protect the environment in a sustained way; and will develop and progressively implement energy policies and regulatory measures that enhance the climate for trade and investment in energy and environmental projects, taking into account the particular circumstances in their countries.

The Energy Ministers will pursue measures to enhance private sector participation in their energy sector development. Measures could include promoting the use of cost-competitive, environmentally friendly energy technologies.

The Energy Ministers intend to examine, use, and transfer environmentally sound energy technologies, while taking into consideration life-cycle and environmental impact costing, options for retrofitting, and innovative financing mechanisms.

Activities under this Joint Statement could accelerate the deployment of clean energy projects and the appropriate transfer of related technologies by identifying project opportunities and necessary training to use those technologies and leveraging public and private sources of capital. It is anticipated that these activities will set the stage for broader cooperation on economic, social and global environmental issues.

IMPLEMENTATION

The Energy Ministers, individually, and collectively, will take steps to support implementation of activities under this Joint Statement.

The applicable implementation by Energy Ministers will be in collaboration with all environmental and other related agencies in their respective governments.

The Energy Ministers welcome the assistance of the U.S. Department of Energy to help leverage private sector participation in the U.S. and African countries' energy sector development, including through the demonstration and technology transfer of U.S. and African cost-competitive, environmentally friendly energy technologies and increased support for U.S. programs under the Trade and Development Agency, the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation, the U.S. Export-Import Bank, and the U.S. Agency for International Development that would expand energy trade and investment opportunities in the U.S. and Africa.

Within the frame of this Joint Statement, representatives of the U.S. Department of Energy and the African Energy Ministries will conduct concrete discussions on cooperative efforts; enter into relevant memoranda of understanding and arrangements; and report regularly to the Energy Ministers and, as appropriate, to the leaders of their respective governments on progress in the implementation of activities under this Joint Statement.

The Energy Ministers and their representatives will immediately consult and work within relevant regional, sub-regional, and intergovernmental organizations to develop action plans that will address the principles described herein, with a view towards defining and developing joint proposals and implementing joint projects and programs.

Updated on 8-17-2000