Geothermal energy in East Africa, wind energy in Egypt, photovoltaic systems in South Africa:
Development minister presents German development co-operation's contributions to the International Action Programme

2 June 2004. On the second day of the international conference for renewable energies, Federal Minister Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul introduced German development co-operation's contributions to the International Action Programme. "With these contributions we are making optimum use of renewable energy's potential in the developing countries, whilst taking due account of sustainability, financial viability and acceptance in the developing countries", Ms Wieczorek-Zeul said in Bonn. "Because then our contributions will truly be "lighthouses", beaming the light of their example on other developing countries."

The International Action Programme will be one of the three main outcomes of the Conference. In this International Action Programme all regions and countries will list their concrete proposals, what they themselves want to do over the next few years to promote renewable energies. These proposals are voluntary, but binding. "That has enormous advantages", the Minister emphasised. "Everyone can choose their own speed - no one needs to slacken their pace to match that of those who are slower, instead they can act quite independently to translate progress in the field of renewable energies into action with concrete proposals."

Meanwhile the participating countries have already put forward a total of 120 contributions to the International Action Programme. The number of contributions pledged is set to increase before the end of the Conference.

The Federal Development Ministry has chosen several so-called "lighthouse projects", which will be promoted with a total of more than 230 million euros, half of it in the form of loans. These projects include:

• the initiative "Geothermal Energy for Development", particularly in East Africa

• the Afghan-French-German initiative "Sustainable Energy for Reconstruction and Development" in rural parts of Afghanistan

• "Public-Private Partnerships for Sustainable Energy": support for small and medium-sized energy enterprises in sub-Saharan Africa

• the Ministry's energy partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank

• rural electricity supply from photovoltaic systems in South Africa

• Egyptian-German co-operation in the field of wind energy

• the city network for sustainable development (ICLEI)

An up-to-date version of the complete International Action Programme can be found at www.renewables2004.de/en/2004/outcome_actionprogramme.asp

Further information on the contributions being made by the Federal Development Ministry can be found at www.bmz.de.