Guinea-Bissau Launches Mission to Develop First National Energy Policy

The Ministry of Energy of Guinea-Bissau, with the support of the ECOWAS Commission through the Regional Off-Grid Access to Electricity Project (ROGEAP), officially launched the mission to develop the country’s first National Energy Policy on July 23, in Bissau.

The opening ceremony, chaired by the Minister of Energy, Dr. José Carlos Varela Casimiro, was attended by the Senior Advisor of the ROGEAP project, as well as representatives of technical and financial partners.

As part of this strategic initiative, two international experts were recruited by the ROGEAP project to review the current energy policy and the legal and regulatory framework in force; diagnose and evaluate the energy sector in Guinea-Bissau; develop a new energy policy in line with government priorities and propose a roadmap for its implementation; and align this policy with national development plans, regional (ECOWAS) and international commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement.

In his speech, the energy minister welcomed this structural support.

“This policy will be the first in our country to establish a clear vision for the energy sector, defining the foundations of essential tools such as action plans and strategic guidelines,” he stated. “It will cover the fuel, oil and gas sectors, as well as energy production, transport, distribution and access, both on-grid and off-grid, while promoting low-carbon technologies.”

The ROGEAP Project is financed by the World Bank, the Clean Technology Fund (CTF) and the Directorate-General for International Cooperation.