Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates and Permanent Representative to IRENA, Rashid Sesay, discussed the country’s ambitious renewable energy targets at the two-day IRENA Council Meeting in Abu Dhabi.
“Sierra Leone recognizes the transformative potentials of renewables and has set ambitious renewable targets. We have a clear vision to transition the country to a low-carbon economy, achieve universal access to electricity, and reduce reliance on imported Heavy Fuel Oil generation, while also driving economic development. The ambition is to grow grid generation capacity from 240 MW to 1 GW in 10 years, and add 200 mini-grids to support energy access and productive uses in agriculture and mining sectors,” he said.
Ambassador Sesay mentioned that achieving affordable and clean energy (SDG7), was essential for meeting other United Nations SDGs, including those related to gender equality, poverty reduction, health, job creation, climate change mitigation and adaption, as well as protection of the environment, while emphasizing that gender equality and women’s empowerment were fundamental to achieving sustainable energy for all.
The Permanent Representative also said that in Sierra Leone, women play a key part in raising awareness of the multidimensional nature of the gender-energy nexus, while highlighting the impact of energy poverty on women, girls, and marginalized communities. He added that women play an active role in shaping energy policies and initiatives and identifying opportunities for national and local cooperation and collaboration in advancing just and inclusive energy transitions.
Speaking at the opening session, the Director General of IRENA, His Excellency Francesco La Camera, said that the global energy transition was not just a technical and economic challenge, but a moral imperative. He reminded the gathering of the commitments made under the Paris Agreement, describing it as a framework that remained the cornerstone of their collective fight against climate change. He also renewed IRENA’s commitment to support its members in keeping global targets.
