COMESA Strengthens Policy Role in Africa’s Energy Transition
The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) has reiterated its commitment to harmonising energy policies and deepening regional integration as Africa scales up its transition to sustainable energy.
At the 2nd Africa Climate Summit in Addis Ababa, COMESA’s Assistant Secretary General for Programmes (ASG-P), Amb. Dr. Mohamed Kadah, said policy alignment across member states remains a cornerstone of the organisation’s strategy to unlock investment, expand electricity access, and promote clean energy adoption.
“Energy development is inherently regional. Without harmonised laws, coordinated regulations, and integrated markets, the continent risks fragmented progress. COMESA’s approach ensures that our members benefit from economies of scale and cross-border synergies in energy trade and infrastructure,” Amb. Kadah told delegates.
His remarks came during the launch of the EU-backed Continental Energy Program for Africa (CEPA), inaugurated by European Commission Executive Vice-President Ms. Teresa Ribera. CEPA will support the African Union Commission (AUC), AUDA-NEPAD, and the African Energy Commission (AFREC) over the next four years, focusing on regulatory reforms, institutional capacity, and regional cooperation across all 55 African Union member states.
For COMESA, the policy agenda has long been central. The bloc has developed model regulatory guidelines to help countries strengthen their national frameworks while ensuring coherence across borders. By advocating for the Eastern Africa Power Pool (EAPP), COMESA has created a policy vehicle to drive electricity development and trade in Eastern Africa.
The organisation is also backing major cross-border interconnection projects, notably the Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya power interconnector, which by 2028 will link the EAPP with the Southern Africa Power Pool (SAPP). Analysts say this project is emblematic of COMESA’s integration agenda, as it demonstrates how legal and regulatory harmonisation can translate into physical energy integration.
“These interconnectors are more than infrastructure projects; they are the result of years of regulatory alignment and political consensus-building. Their success underscores why policy leadership is as critical as engineering capacity in Africa’s energy transformation,” Amb. Kadah said.
In parallel, COMESA is leveraging continental initiatives such as Mission300 — which targets electricity access for 300 million Africans — through its Accelerating Sustainable and Clean Energy Access Transformation Programme (ASCENT). The regional component, the Regional Energy Access Acceleration Platform (REAAP), is designed to provide countries with tailored technical assistance, policy harmonisation support, and capacity building.
“REAAP will help governments overcome policy and regulatory bottlenecks while ensuring regional cooperation drives sustainable energy solutions,” Amb. Kadah added.
Policy experts note that COMESA’s role in aligning national regulations with regional and continental frameworks will be decisive in Africa’s energy transition. By bridging gaps between national policies and regional ambitions, the bloc is positioning itself not just as an implementer of projects, but as a policy convener capable of shaping Africa’s long-term energy future.
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