COMMITTEE ON NEW AND RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY ELECTS VICE-CHAIRMEN, RAPPORTEUR

12 February 1996

Press Release
EN/229

COMMITTEE ON NEW AND RENEWABLE SOURCES OF ENERGY ELECTS VICE-CHAIRMEN, RAPPORTEUR

19960212 Hears Presentation on Decentralized Rural Electrification

The Committee on New and Renewable Sources of Energy and on Energy for Development this afternoon elected by acclamation the following experts as Vice- Chairmen: Messaoud Boumaour, from Algeria; Dmitri B. Volfberg, from the Russian Federation; and Jose Luis Bozzo, from Uruguay. The Committee also elected Wilhelmus C. Turkenburg, expert from the Netherlands, as Rapporteur.

Also this afternoon, Bernard Devin, expert from France, reported to the Committee on the results of an international seminar on decentralized rural electrification, which took place in Marrakesh, Morocco, from 13 to 17 November 1995. He said that at the Marrakesh seminar the North-North dialogue had revealed that some favoured the private sector taking the initiative in decentralizing electrical power, while others favoured government intervention. Some felt that using purely private means would not be fair, while others said government initiatives would be ineffective.

As for the North-South dialogue, Mr. Devin said participants expressed the need for intensified technical training and improved quality of equipment and it had been generally agreed that programmes should not be decided upon solely by donors. The sentiments of the users of electrical power and their governments should also play a role. Seminar participants also stated that rural electrification would not automatically result in economic development. If distribution of electrical power did not introduce income-generating activities, it would not encourage development.

The Marrakesh seminar recommended a faster pace and scale in the decentralization of rural electrification, Mr. Devin said. National governments must participate, in particular by providing a fiscal and legal framework, ensuring fair prices for users -- and establishing long-term plans. To accelerate decentralized rural electrification, public and private sector initiatives should be combined.

Commenting on Mr. Devin's presentation, experts called for a broad meeting of the minds on current activities of the United Nations and donor-partners in the energy field. There should be an ongoing information exchange on such current activities and donor-partners should be asked to support dissemination of information. Experts also suggested that the Committee include in its report information on the initiative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) on a solar energy summit and one expert said that solar energy would be the topic of two upcoming meetings in Zimbabwe and Costa Rica.

Speaking this afternoon were experts from the Netherlands, France, Russian Federation, India and Uruguay.

When it meets again at 10 a.m. Tuesday, 13 February, the Committee will begin discussing the development of energy resources in developing countries.

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