The 30th meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee of Senior Officials and Experts (ICSOE) of Southern Africa is being convened by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) Sub Regional Office for Southern Africa (SRO-SA) and hosted by the Government of Zambia in Livingstone from 20-21 November 2024 under the theme: Addressing the energy deficit in Southern Africa through investments in new and renewable energy technologies to reduce energy poverty and accelerate sustainable industrialization and structural transformation. The theme tackles one of the key enablers of industrialization in the face of climate change by providing stakeholders in Southern Africa with a platform to discuss how the region’s vast new and renewable energy resources could be exploited to support the clean and just energy transition as well as help reduce the regional energy gap for both productive and consumptive purposes.
This session follows the successful 29th ICSOE Meeting hosted by the Government of Botswana in Gaborone on 8 and 9 November 2024 under the theme: Accelerating Implementation of the Africa Continental Free Trade Area for Inclusive Development in Southern Africa: Building on the regional economic communities’ free trade areas, and Harnessing Technology and Innovation for Private Sector and Value Chains Development.
The 30th ICSOE will be preceded by two Ad Hoc Experts Group Meetings (AEGMs) on 18th -19th November 2024 at the same venue. The two AEGMs will be on “Leveraging Renewable Energy Resources for a Just Energy Transition in Southern Africa” and on “Financing Climate Action and a Just Energy Transition in Southern Africa – Challenges and Opportunities.” A regional dialogue on the Economic Commission for Africa Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (COM2025) to be organized in Addis Ababa in February 2025 under the theme Advancing the implementation of the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area: proposing transformative strategic actions” will be part of the deliberations of the 30th ICSOE. The AEGM and Pre-COM2025 dialogue recommendations will constitute part of the outcomes of the 30th ICSOE of Southern Africa.
The ICSOE is a UN statutory annual meeting which brings together experts from Southern Africa and the continent to discuss current and pressing issues affecting socio-economic development in the region. Past ICSOE meetings have attracted high-level participation from a wide pool of stakeholders from member States, private sector, academia, international and regional development partners, civil society and the United Nations system.
Both the ICSOE and AEGMs, provide a forum for exchanging ideas and sharing lessons from a diverse pool of expertise and experiences through roundtables, presentations and open discussions.
Further information and queries on the meeting and other related matters should be addressed to:
For Media inquiries:
Lavender C. Degre
Communication Officer
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Sub Regional Office for Southern Africa
2392 Longolongo Road
P.O. Box 30647, Lusaka, ZAMBIA
Tel: +260 211 228502/5 Ext. 21307
Fax: +260 211 236949
DL: +260 211 376607
Email: lavender.degre@un.org
Meeting and other related matters
Grace Kaonga
Staff Assistant
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Sub regional Office for Southern Africa
P.O. Box 30647,
Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: (260) 211 228 502-5
Fax: (260) 211 236 949
E-mail: kaonga.uneca@un.org
Godfridah Sitali
Programme Management Officer
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Sub regional Office for Southern Africa
P.O. Box 30647,
Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: (260) 211 228 502-5
Fax: (260) 211 236 949
E-mail: godfridah.sitali@un.org
Mr. Oliver Maponga
Economic Affairs Officer
United Nations Economic Commission for Africa
Sub regional Office for Southern Africa
P O Box 30647,
Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: (260) 211 228 502-5
Fax: (260) 211 236 949
E-mail: mapongao@un.org
