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Zimbabwe, the European Union and the African Union deepen cooperation on energy efficiency

National stakeholders endorse the strategic direction of Zimbabwe’s National Energy Efficiency Strategy and Action Plan (NEESAP) in Harare

CEPA
© EU

On 27 May 2026, the Government of Zimbabwe - through the Ministry of Energy and Power Development (MoEPD) - together with the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe and the African Energy Commission (AFREC), the African Union’s lead agency for energy efficiency, convened a national consultation in Harare on the draft NEESAP. More than 70 senior representatives from government, regulators, utilities, the private sector, development partners and civil society gathered around a single, shared agenda: placing energy efficiency at the heart of Zimbabwe’s energy transition.

A continental programme behind a national plan

The consultation was delivered under CEPA, the Continental Energy Programme in Africa, the European Union’s flagship technical-assistance programme supporting the African Union and its specialised energy institutions to build an integrated, resilient and sustainable continental energy system. Launched in January 2025, CEPA supports three mutually reinforcing continental initiatives - the African Single Electricity Market (AfSEM), the Continental Power System Master Plan (CMP) and the African Energy Efficiency Strategy (AfEES) - all aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063. Zimbabwe’s NEESAP is being developed under the AfEES pillar, led by AFREC, which helps AU Member States translate continental energy-efficiency goals into national strategies and concrete action.

CEPA is funded by the European Union under Global Gateway, the EU’s strategy to mobilise investment in sustainable, high-quality infrastructure worldwide. Global Gateway aims to mobilise up to €300 billion in public and private investment between 2021 and 2027, of which approximately €150 billion — half of the total — is dedicated to Africa through the Africa–Europe Investment Package. By embedding national plans such as Zimbabwe’s NEESAP within this continental framework, CEPA connects local policy reform to continental ambition and opens a pathway from strategy to investment.

Key outcomes of the consultation

The Harare consultation produced a clear set of outcomes that will shape the next phase of Zimbabwe’s energy-efficiency agenda:

  • National endorsement of the draft NEESAP. Stakeholders endorsed the proposed vision and strategic pillars of the draft strategy, giving it the political and technical backing needed to move towards formal validation.

  • Alignment with continental targets. Participants confirmed that Zimbabwe’s energy-efficiency ambition is consistent with the AfEES continental targets and with Agenda 2063, anchoring national action in the African Union’s long-term vision.

  • Shared ownership across institutions. MoEPD, line ministries, regulators, utilities, the private sector and development partners took joint ownership of the strategy, broadening the coalition responsible for delivery.

  • A clear policy-to-investment pathway. The consultation mapped how strategic priorities can be translated into bankable energy-efficiency projects, opening the way to financing under Global Gateway and Team Europe instruments.

  • A strengthened delivery partnership. The European Union, AFREC, the Government of Zimbabwe and CEPA reaffirmed their partnership as the framework for taking the NEESAP through its next phase.

Next steps

The endorsed strategic directions will guide the revised draft NEESAP, which will be submitted to MoEPD ahead of national validation in the second half of 2026. This marks a decisive step in turning Zimbabwe’s energy-efficiency ambition into concrete actions and investments, jointly supported by national authorities, the European Union and the African Union.

Contact Person: 

George Giannakidis, Senior Energy Efficiency Expert, giannakidis@entconsultants.gr, Mobile: +30 6977790671