11 Sep 2013

The OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) recently co-organised and hosted a joint expert meeting with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to discuss practical solutions for providing modern energy services to rural populations.

A press release from OFID said the event brought together specialists comprising senior staff members from OFID and GIZ and representatives from UN agencies, NGOs and research institutions to share and exchange knowledge on energy poverty alleviation strategies and the implementation of sustainable solutions.

The event, as per the release, opened with a grant signature ceremony, where OFID director general, Mr Suleiman Al-Herbish and GIZ Management Board chairperson Ms Tanja Gönner, signed an agreement for an OFID/GIZ Scholarship for Young Professionals on Water Resource Management in the MENA Region.

OPEC Fund for International Development’s US$300,000 (more than P2 million) grant will support the attendance of 16 students in a joint academic program at two specialized research institutions in Jordan and Germany.

In his opening remarks at the joint meeting Mr Al-Herbish said while energy would remain OFID’s chief focus, adding that the institution was actively pursuing an integrated approach to the Water-Food-Energy nexus, says the press release.

“This meeting would provide a platform for analyzing and discussing solutions that were practical, sustainable and effective solutions that can really change the lives of poor people in rural areas,” he added.

Mr Al-Herbish also said that he expected the cooperation between OFID and GIZ would be enhanced in the future.

Furthermore, Ms Gönner said GIZ was strongly aware of the importance of forging partnerships in order to trigger synergies between different actors in the field.

She also said that “GIZ was pleased at starting a relationship with OFID and was looking forward to working together, particularly in areas relating to the Water-Food-Energy nexus.”

The agenda included presentations by the two institutions and a series of panel discussions led by experts from GIZ and OFID, FAO, the Shell Foundation, UNDP, UNESCO and WHO, among others.

In addition, discussions covered the possibilities of and lessons learnt in providing access to modern energy services for rural and remote areas and clean cooking energy for poor populations, as well as innovative implementation schemes and forms of cooperation in the energy development sector.

On September 10, OFID and GIZ would held a Roundtable Meeting to discuss possibilities of further cooperation; in particular, those relating to modern energy access in developing countries. Ends