The United Arab Emirates and Norway, in collaboration with Powering Peace (an initiative of Energy Peace Partners and the Stimson Center), are convening a webinar on the potential for renewable energy to support local energy access and peacebuilding in South Sudan.
UNMISS, the UN Mission in South Sudan, is the single largest consumer of electricity in the country and as such a transition to renewable energy use in the Mission has the potential to contribute to green electrification of the country more broadly. The event will see the launch of a new report of the Powering Peace initiative (a partnership between Energy Peace Partners and the Stimson Center) entitled “Renewable Energy and the United Nations: a Green Spark for Peace in South Sudan.”
It will also examines the link between South Sudan’s conflict dynamics and its dependence on imported diesel for electricity, with heavily taxed supply chains controlled by conflict actors, ultimately leading to scarce and expensive energy access for South Sudanese. The report offers evidence that renewable energy investment in fragile, energy poor countries like South Sudan can help break the cycle of conflict and serve as a building block for future peace.
The webinar is a part of the UAE-Norway Powering Peace series on evaluating energy options in peacekeeping missions as the UN aims to shift 80% of its energy supply to renewables by 2030.
Featured Speakers
- Victoria Holt, Director, Stimson Center Senior Fellow & Dickey Center for International Understanding, Dartmouth College (moderator)
- Elizabeth Rolando, Chief of Office of the UN Under Secretary General for Operational Support
- Dr. Nawal Al Hosany, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the UAE to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA)
- Hans Olav Ibrekk, Special Envoy for Climate and Security, Norway
- Joseph Africano Bartel, Undersecretary of Environment, Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Republic of South Sudan
- Guang Cong, UNMISS, Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General
- Stephen Halloway, World Bank Representative and Senior Advisor Extractives and Energy
- Eugene Chen (Lead author of the Powering Peace report)
- Flora McCrone (Lead author of the Powering Peace report)
- Dave Mozersky (Contributing author of the Powering Peace report)
Photo: UN Photo/Gregório Cunha.