Mahmoud Esmat, Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, has met with Abel Didier Tella, Director General of the Association of Power Utilities of Africa (APUA), and his accompanying delegation at the ministry's headquarters in the New Administrative Capital to finalise preparations for Egypt's hosting of the 21st APUA General Conference in Cairo from 26 September to 3 October 2025. Gaber Desouki, Chairperson of the Egyptian Electricity Holding Company, also attended the meeting. The event will be held under the patronage of Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly. The conference coincides with the 55th anniversary of APUA's founding and will see leadership transferred from Senegal to Egypt—a continuation of Egypt's previous roles as Chair of the Scientific Committee and First Vice-President. Egypt's selection underscores African and international confidence in its capacity to guide dialogue on the continent's energy future, leveraging its extensive technical expertise and strong infrastructure. Organised in partnership with the African Development Bank and the APUA Secretariat, the gathering is expected to attract around 1,500 participants, including African ministers of electricity and energy, heads of utilities, policymakers, senior officials, experts, regional and international development partners, and representatives from leading energy companies. Esmat said the conference affirms Egypt's pioneering role in advancing Africa's energy sector and offers an ideal platform to shape a collective vision aligned with global developments. He reiterated Egypt's commitment to supporting Africa's energy transition, expanding renewable energy adoption, and achieving its national targets of 42% renewable energy by 2030 and 65% by 2040. This year's theme—"Challenges of the Energy Transition"—will address energy transformation, sector reforms, governance, sustainability of African utilities, and the continent's energy future. The programme includes the CEO and Governance Forum, the African Single Electricity Market Forum (AfSEM), and the African Women in Energy Forum (AWEF), alongside expert panels, workshops, technical exhibitions, and site visits to key Egyptian energy projects. A concurrent exhibition will showcase innovative technologies and solutions from national and international manufacturers and service providers.
