DAY ONE

TIME

VICTORIA HALL (PLENARY VENUE)

NREP

ADDIS HALL

KYOGA HALL

NILE HALL

ACHWA HALL

THEMES

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

UN AGENCIES

RESEARCH

ENERGY ACCESS

PRODUCTIVE USE OF ENERGY

8:00 – 10:30

Sustainable Energy Development Programme Performance Review

UN- Delivering as one for SDG7

Scaling Youth and Women-Led Clean Energy Enterprises for Transformative Impact

By MUBS

Affirming UK-Ugandan Collaborations in Energy Access

Economic Transformation: PUE in Agri-business

By Power for Food/ SNV

Preamble

Scope: Provide political leadership, signal government priorities, and set the tone for deliberations on NDPIV and energy transition.

Scope: Anchor the event in government leadership and provide a retrospective on performance under NDPIII, creating the baseline for discussion. Provide the official programme-level assessment, achievements, gaps, and forward-looking priorities. Establish the framework for deeper institutional contributions.

Scope: OPM presents their assessment of the Program with recommendations for improvement.

Scope: BAMAU presents their assessment of the Program with recommendations for improvement.

Through collective programming, the UN agencies in Uganda are supporting interventions to scale up clean energy access in refugee-hosting areas (UNHCR), scaling renewable energy for agriculture and food systems (FAO and WFP), and deploying sustainable infrastructure in fragile settings. The agencies are also advancing policy and financing frameworks for renewable energy (UNDP and UNEP), promoting gender-responsive energy and nature solutions (UN Women), ensuring that children and youth benefit from clean energy in schools and health facilities (UNICEF), and supporting industrial development through energy efficiency and green technologies (UNIDO). This side event will showcase how joint UN action is supporting the sustainable energy transition at the local level while contributing to the global goals. The dialogue will be a platform to inspire partnerships, mobilize investment, and reaffirm the UN Country Team’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s commitment to transforming livelihoods through a just energy transition while ensuring no one is left behind.

The Evidence for Informing Optimization and Scaling of Youth and Women-led Clean Energy Enterprises (EVI-SICEE) project is a collaborative initiative designed to generate robust evidence for piloting, optimizing, and scaling inclusive clean energy enterprises (CEEs) across Africa, with Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, and South Africa as focal case studies. Findings from Uganda showed that enterprises remain constrained by limited access to finance, weak technical capacity, fragmented policy support, and entrenched gender norms. Promising practices such as pay-as-you-go (PAYG) models, microfinance, blended financing, and community-based distribution networks demonstrate potential for strengthening entrepreneurial resilience and inclusivity. The study underscores the urgent need for coordinated policy action, targeted investment, and capacity-building initiatives that integrate a gendered systems-of-innovation perspective. By providing a framework for scaling promising models, the EVI-SICEE project contributes to inclusive climate innovation, gender equity, and sustainable socio-economic transformation in Uganda’s clean energy sector.

The imperative to accelerate clean energy access in Uganda, particularly in rural and underserved communities, necessitates robust international partnerships, with collaborations between the United Kingdom and Uganda emerging as pivotal in addressing this critical developmental challenge. The United Kingdom has for years been a longstanding development partner to Uganda, with energy access as a key area of collaboration. Through the provision of both technical assistance and targeted financing, the United Kingdom is supporting Uganda’s clean energy goals by enabling off-grid, mini-grid and clean cooking solutions, improving regulatory environments, and stimulating enterprise development in the clean energy sector. This session is crafted to provide a comprehensive understanding of the past and ongoing clean energy initiatives in Uganda, particularly highlighting ongoing strategic alliances with the United Kingdom, and emphasizing how these collaborations can be a catalyst for significant advancements in the energy sector.

Despite its transformative potential, the uptake of PUE technologies in Uganda’s agri-business sector remains limited. Key barriers include high upfront costs, lack of access to appropriate financing, weak rural energy infrastructure, limited awareness of available technologies, and insufficient coordination between energy and agricultural development programs. Unlocking the full potential of PUE requires a multi-sectoral approach that integrates energy access with agricultural value chains, enterprise development, and financial inclusion. The session will highlight past and ongoing interventions, examine policy and market barriers, and propose strategies to scale up adoption of energy-enabled agri-business solutions across Uganda.

Speakers

Session Chair:

Speaker: Hon. Dr. Can. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, MEMD

                Opening Remarks and Policy Direction

Speaker: Eng. Irene Pauline Bateebe, PS, MEMD

                 NDPIII Performance Highlights

Speaker: OPM Rep.

               NDPIII Performance assessment

Speaker: BAMAU- MoFPED

Session Chair:

Discussants

By Invite Only

Session Chair:

Discussants

Session Chair: •Sumaya Mahomed, MD, Wekeza Energy

Discussants

·   Eng. Elizabeth Kaijuka, A/C, MEMD

·   Paul Asiimwe, CREEC

·   Perez Magoola, Senior Advisor, Open Capital

·   Helen Kyomugisha, Programme Component Manager, EnDev, GIZ

·   Brian Kawuma, PUE Consultant

Break & Exhibition

DAY ONE

TIME

VICTORIA HALL (PLENARY VENUE)

NREP

ADDIS HALL

KYOGA HALL

NILE HALL

ACHWA HALL

THEMES

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

UN AGENCIES

RESEARCH

ENERGY ACCESS

PRODUCTIVE USE OF ENERGY

11:00 – 13:00

Institutional Panel: Performance Scorecards & Sector Outlook

Development Partner Panel: Perspectives on Energy and NDPIV Alignment.

UN- Delivering as one for SDG7

Scaling Youth and Women-Led Clean Energy Enterprises for Transformative Impact

By MUBS

Affirming UK-Ugandan Collaborations in Energy Access

Power for Food Partnership: Presenting Generative Agriculture and Productive Use of Renewable Energy (RA-PURE) Nexus

By Power for Food/ SNV

Preamble

Time: 11:00 – 11:20

Local Government View of NDPIII Performance of the Sustainable Energy Program.

Scope: ULGA presents their assessment of the Program with recommendations for improvement.

Through collective programming, the UN agencies in Uganda are supporting interventions to scale up clean energy access in refugee-hosting areas (UNHCR), scaling renewable energy for agriculture and food systems (FAO and WFP), and deploying sustainable infrastructure in fragile settings. The agencies are also advancing policy and financing frameworks for renewable energy (UNDP and UNEP), promoting gender-responsive energy and nature solutions (UN Women), ensuring that children and youth benefit from clean energy in schools and health facilities (UNICEF), and supporting industrial development through energy efficiency and green technologies (UNIDO). This side event will showcase how joint UN action is supporting the sustainable energy transition at the local level while contributing to the global goals. The dialogue will be a platform to inspire partnerships, mobilize investment, and reaffirm the UN Country Team’s commitment to supporting Uganda’s commitment to transforming livelihoods through a just energy transition while ensuring no one is left behind.

The Evidence for Informing Optimization and Scaling of Youth and Women-led Clean Energy Enterprises (EVI-SICEE) project is a collaborative initiative designed to generate robust evidence for piloting, optimizing, and scaling inclusive clean energy enterprises (CEEs) across Africa, with Uganda, Kenya, Malawi, and South Africa as focal case studies. Findings from Uganda showed that enterprises remain constrained by limited access to finance, weak technical capacity, fragmented policy support, and entrenched gender norms. Promising practices such as pay-as-you-go (PAYG) models, microfinance, blended financing, and community-based distribution networks demonstrate potential for strengthening entrepreneurial resilience and inclusivity. The study underscores the urgent need for coordinated policy action, targeted investment, and capacity-building initiatives that integrate a gendered systems-of-innovation perspective. By providing a framework for scaling promising models, the EVI-SICEE project contributes to inclusive climate innovation, gender equity, and sustainable socio-economic transformation in Uganda’s clean energy sector.

The imperative to accelerate clean energy access in Uganda, particularly in rural and underserved communities, necessitates robust international partnerships, with collaborations between the United Kingdom and Uganda emerging as pivotal in addressing this critical developmental challenge. The United Kingdom has for years been a longstanding development partner to Uganda, with energy access as a key area of collaboration. Through the provision of both technical assistance and targeted financing, the United Kingdom is supporting Uganda’s clean energy goals by enabling off-grid, mini-grid and clean cooking solutions, improving regulatory environments, and stimulating enterprise development in the clean energy sector. This session is crafted to provide a comprehensive understanding of the past and ongoing clean energy initiatives in Uganda, particularly highlighting ongoing strategic alliances with the United Kingdom, and emphasizing how these collaborations can be a catalyst for significant advancements in the energy sector.

As Uganda advances its efforts toward sustainable development and climate resilience, the intersection of agriculture and renewable energy is emerging as a powerful driver of transformation. In this context, generative agriculture—an approach that emphasizes sustainability, soil regeneration, biodiversity, and climate-smart practices—offers a promising path toward more resilient and productive farming systems. When combined with the productive use of renewable energy (PURE), this approach can accelerate innovation, boost efficiency, and create new income opportunities for farmers and agri-entrepreneurs. The aim of this session is to explore the synergies between regenerative farming and decentralized energy solutions. The session will also examine the policy, financing, and capacity-building needs for scaling the RA-PURE nexus in Uganda. Stakeholders will share case studies of on-going and planned interventions with a hope of inspiring a “sea of change” in how Uganda envisions and implements integrated development solutions.

Time: 11:20 – 12:10

Scope: A multi-institutional panel ensuring accountability and inclusivity. Each Agency shares its role in performance delivery, challenges, and outlook under NDPIV.

Session Chair: Senior NPA Official

Discussants: UEGCL, UETCL, UEDCL, ERA, UECCC, Electricity Disputes Tribunal, MoFPED – BMAU, MEMD.

Time: 12:10 – 13:00

Scope: A multi-voice dialogue. Strengthen African institutional presence (AfDB, AU, EAC) alongside global partners. Provides Uganda with a comprehensive external perspective on financing, technical cooperation, and alignment with NDPIV.

Speakers

Session Chair:

Discussants

·  WB/EU (Chair of Development Partners Group)

·   Ambassadors

·  AfDB

·  UN Agencies (UNDP/UNIDO)

·  Regional Body (EAC/AU)

·  Bilateral Partner (e.g., GIZ, FCDO)

Session Chair:

Discussants

By Invite Only

Session Chair:

Discussants

Session Chair: Ibrahim Mutebi, Deputy Project Manager, Power for Food

Discussants:

·   Chariton Namuwoza, CEO, NOGAMU

·   Harriet Nakasi, National Coordinator, ACSA

·   Dr. Nicholas Mukisa, Deputy National Coordinator, NREP

·   Douglas Baguma, Chairperson, USEA

·   Dr. Mary Suzan Abbo, MD, CREEC

13:00 – 14:00

Lunch & Exhibition

DAY ONE

TIME

VICTORIA HALL (PLENARY VENUE)

NREP

ADDIS HALL

KYOGA HALL

NILE HALL

ACHWA HALL

THEMES

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

PRODUCTIVE USE OF ENERGY

RESEARCH

VOICES

PRODUCTIVE USE OF ENERGY

14:00 – 15:30

Stakeholder Panel: Field and Delivery Partner Voices.

Plenary Q&A & Interactive Dialogue

PURE for Progress: Launch & Dialogue on Uganda’s Market Outlook

By USEA & GOGLA

Stocktaking of the Off-Grid Sub-sector: Off-Grid Energy Working Group Convention

By BGFA

Teens’ Voices: Engaging Gen-Zs in Energy Transition Dialogue

By NREP

Farmers’ Voices on Productive Use of Energy Technologies.

By NREP & KABConsult

Preamble

Time: 14:00 – 14:45

Session Chair :

Scope: Broadens scope beyond institutions to include grassroots and market perspectives. Ensures voices of communities, private sector, and vulnerable groups are captured, aligning with inclusivity principles and SDG7.

Discussants: PWG-MDAs, Civil Society, Private Sector, Farmer/Community Cooperative, Youth/Women Entrepreneur, Refugee, Development Partner.

The potential of PURE remains largely untapped due to persistent barriers: limited financing, fragmented market data, and insufficient enabling policies. At a time when Uganda is striving for universal clean energy access and accelerating pathways for sustainable development, scaling PURE is not just an energy priority—it is an economic imperative.

The PURE Market Status Report 2024, developed by USEA, supported by GOGLA under the Scaling PURE Project, funded by the IKEA Foundation provides the first consolidated evidence base on the state of Uganda’s PURE market. The report highlights current trends, gaps, opportunities, and policy considerations—offering an actionable roadmap for stakeholders across government, private sector, finance, and development. The official launch of this report at REC2025 will serve as a milestone moment to galvanize investment, stimulate dialogue, and chart a collective pathway to accelerate PURE adoption in Uganda.

Uganda’s off-grid energy sub-sector has played a vital role in extending electricity access to households, enterprises, and institutions across the country. With the majority of the population living beyond the reach of the national grid, off-grid solutions such as solar home systems and mini-grids remain essential to achieving universal energy access and unlocking development. The Off-Grid Energy Working Group (OGEWG), under the National Renewable Energy Platform (NREP), acts as a focal point for sharing experiences, knowledge, and information on off-grid energy solutions. It also tracks key regulatory and policy developments to ensure alignment with sector growth. This session will take stock of the offgrid activities from REC24 by the different development partners, government, and private actors in advancing access and use of clean energy.

Unlike previous generations who relied heavily on traditional media such as radio, television and print media, Gen Z consumes content primarily through social media and interactive digital channels; their strong preference for short-engaging content necessitates a tailored approach to their engagement as they are constantly exposed to and often overwhelmed with information. It will explore ways to not only inform them, but also to involve them in decision making and innovation, leveraging their creativity, digital fluency and fresh perspective to put Gen Z at the centre of shaping an inclusive, sustainable energy future. This session will also use skits to convey information on clean energy.

Kawanda Agribusiness Consult Limited (KABConsult), with support from GIZ under the SEFA–Energizing Development (EnDev) programme, has promoted solar technologies for irrigation and value addition through its project Enhancing Smallholder Tomato Farmers’ Income. Similar EnDev-supported initiatives across the country have demonstrated how productive use of energy (PUE) can improve farm productivity, incomes, and market access.

This session will bring together farmers and other actors to share experiences with PUE technologies. Discussions will highlight both opportunities and challenges, including productivity gains, sustainability, affordability, maintenance, and access to extension services. By amplifying farmer voices and drawing lessons from across the value chain, the session will generate practical insights to strengthen future interventions, foster collaboration, and guide the scaling of renewable energy solutions that improve livelihoods and advance sustainable agriculture in Uganda.

Speakers

Time: 14:45 – 15:30

Session Chair: Independent Energy Expert

Scope: Allow participants to engage directly, clarify issues, and add value. Keeps the process participatory rather than top-down.

Scope: Provide a structured conclusion with clear recommendations and next steps. The Minister’s closure reaffirms political commitment, while the PS emphasizes operational continuity.

Speakers: Eng. Irene Pauline Bateebe, PS, MEMD

                 Hon. Dr. Can. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu

Session Chair:
Discussants:

·  

Session Chair: Olga Namatovu, GIZ

Discussants

· Eng. Alexander Akena, BGFA

· Henry Jumba, GIZ

· Eng. Adella Kyohairwe, ERD, MEMD

Session Chair: Mark Tusiime, Head Knowledge Management, NREP

Discussants:

· Makerere College

· Namilyango SS

· Mengo SS

· Gayaza High School
Performers

·   Masaka Secondary School

·   St. Henry’s College Kitovu

·   Gayaza High School

·   Mengo Senior School

Session Chair:

Discussants

·    

15:30 – 17:00

Official Opening Ceremony

Session Chair: Hon. Shartsi Musherure, MP, Mawogoola North

Speakers:

· Phillipe Groueix, Country Chair TotalEnergies & TotalEnergies EP Uganda

· H.E Jan Sadek, Head of the European Union Delegation

· H.E. Lisa Chesney, British High Commissioner

· Eng. Irene Pauline Bateebe, Permanent Secretary, MEMD

· Hon. Dr. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, MEMD

DAY TWO

TIME

VICTORIA HALL (PLENARY VENUE)

NREP

ADDIS HALL

KYOGA HALL

NILE HALL

ACHWA HALL

THEMES

CLEAN COOKING

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

TRAINING, RESEARCH AND COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE

ENERGY ACCESS AND MANAGEMENT

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION, DEVELOPMENT AND  DEPLOYMENT

08:00 – 10:30

For How Long Should the Porous Borders Be Blamed: Addressing standards and quality of Cooking Technologies

By MECS

Annual District Local Government Sub-Regional Forum

By GIZ

Skills Development: The Role of Skilling and TVET in Driving Energy Access and Sustainability

By GIZ PREEP

Enhancing Uganda’s Energy Efficiency Future: The Role of ESCOs, Women, and Youth

By Energy Efficiency Association of Uganda

Fostering Innovation and Collaboration In the Renewable Energy Sector

By GIZ

Preamble

Uganda’s clean cooking sector has witnessed a growing influx of technologies—ranging from improved biomass stoves to LPG and electric cooking appliances. However, the market is increasingly challenged by the presence of substandard products. These low-quality technologies often underperform, break down quickly, or fail to deliver promised benefits, leading to consumer distrust, health risks, and market distortion. For years, the blame for poor product quality has largely been placed on unregulated cross-border trade and weak enforcement. But porous borders are only one part of a much deeper issue—namely, the absence of a robust framework for product standards, certification, and consumer protection in the clean cooking space. Without clear national standards and consistent enforcement mechanisms, the sector remains vulnerable to fragmentation, misinformation, and stalled progress. This session will bring together regulators, testing institutions, clean cooking enterprises, and consumer groups with a view of shifting the quality and standards conversation beyond border control to address systemic changes necessary to build a clean cooking subsector rooted in quality, accountability, and consumer confidence.

Energy mainstreaming—integrating clean energy considerations into planning, budgeting, and coordination across various sectors at both Central and Local Government levels—is essential for enhancing access to clean energy. Over the past decade, the Sub-Regional Energy Forums have been held biannually to strengthen coordination among government levels, unite diverse stakeholders, and advance the decentralisation of the energy sector.

This year’s Sub-Regional Energy Forum, hosted once again during the Renewable Energy Conference, will focus on incorporating energy into district development plans. We are pleased to welcome Energy Focal Persons and Planners from 32 Local Governments, including three cities, along with officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the Ministry of Local Government. Participants will engage in collaborative sessions designed to guide the development plans of the various local governments.

Uganda has made significant strides in expanding energy access, particularly through decentralized renewable energy solutions like solar, and in promoting energy efficiency. However, the long-term sustainability and scale of this transition are fundamentally dependent on one factor: a skilled workforce. A gap exists between the growing demand for renewable energy and the availability of local, qualified technicians and professionals. This skills deficit not only slows down project implementation but also compromises the quality of installations, leading to poor performance, safety risks, and a lack of consumer trust.

This session will explore how Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) can be leveraged to close this skills gap. The session will also dive into the essential role of specialized training centers, such as the Renewable Energy Training Center (RETC), in providing practical, hands-on skills that are directly relevant to the market

The EEAU is proud to announce the Inaugural Uganda Energy Efficiency

Symposium 2025 at REC25 will convene thought leaders, businesses, policymakers, academics, civil society, and development actors to tackle persistent efficiency gaps by developing a framework for inclusive, bankable, and scalable energy efficiency projects. The symposium will focus on creating a private sector-led platform that advocates for the critical role of ESCOs, women, and youth in driving energy efficiency initiatives in partnership with government, development partners, financial institutions, academia, and other sector players. This aims to build and scale up self-sustaining energy efficiency market transformation through inclusive participation, capacity building, knowledge exchange, and investment opportunities. The symposium will serve as celebrations of 10 years of EEAU, Launch of Council on Women in Energy & Environmental Leadership (CWEEL), Launch of students’ chapters and Annual General Meeting.

To strengthen collaboration and amplify the role of women entrepreneurs in advancing renewable energy solutions, GIZ and WE4A are convening a high-level panel discussion as part of Renewable Energy Week. The session will provide a platform for women entrepreneurs in the renewable energy sector to share their experiences, highlight lessons learned, and showcase innovative models that address sector challenges. It will also serve to consolidate partner contributions and foster joint action among financial institutions, market actors, and Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESOs). By revitalizing a collective approach to financing, capacity building, and market linkages, the discussion aims to accelerate women’s participation in renewable energy value chains, strengthen ESO support structures, and catalyze inclusive socio-economic development through sustainable access to energy.

Speakers

Session Chair: James Baanabe, Former Director, MEMD & Energy Consultant

Keynote: Eng. James Nkamwesiga Kasigwa, ED, UNBS

Topic: The Clean Cooking Standards Landscape for Uganda

Discussants

· Richard Ebong, Manager of Legal Metrology, UNBS

· Agnes Naluwagga, Regional Testing and Knowledge Center Coordinator, CREEC

· Jim Ssebaduka, Chairperson, UNACC

· Justine Akumu, Senior Clean Cooking Officer, CCU, MEMD

· Mitchelle Ng’ang’a, Communications Officer, Burn Manufacturing

· By Invite Only

Presentation: Current Market Demands for RE/EE skills by Employers

Session Chair:    Loy Kyozaire, CEO, SENDEA; Co-chair: Denis Rukundo, GIZ Programme Component Manager (PREEEP)

Discussants

·   Michael Rujumba, Deputy Principal, NVTC

·   Lisa Hofheinz, Head of Project, GIZ PREEP

·   Okeny Moses, ENABEL

·   Hadijah Nakakande, MoES

·   Sofian Dahmani, EU

Session Chair:

Discussants

·    

Session Chair:

Discussants

·    

DAY TWO

TIME

VICTORIA HALL (PLENARY VENUE)

NREP

ADDIS HALL

KYOGA HALL

NILE HALL

ACHWA HALL

THEMES

CLEAN COOKING

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

ACCESS TO FINANCE

ENERGY ACCESS AND MANAGEMENT

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION, DEVELOPMENT AND DEPLOYMENT

11:00 – 13:00

Uganda-UK Clean Cooking Scale and Support Subprogramme: Stocktaking and Launches.

By MECS

Annual District Local Government Sub-Regional Forum

By GIZ

Unlocking innovative finance to scale PURE SGB growth in East Africa

By Open Capital

Enhancing Uganda’s Energy Efficiency Future: The Role of ESCOs, Women, and Youth

By EEAU

Fostering Innovation and Collaboration in the Renewable Energy Sector

By GIZ

Preamble

Uganda’s ambition to achieve universal access to clean cooking is being advanced through the Uganda‑UK Clean Cooking Scale and Support Sub‑programme, funded by UK Aid via the British High Commission in Uganda and implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, the Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) programme, the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), National Renewable Energy Platform (NREP) and ICLEI Africa. The programme has supported the establishment of the Clean Cooking Unit, marking a major milestone in strengthening national capacity to guide, coordinate, and accelerate the sector’s growth. This session will include the launch of Clean Cooking Unit, Knowledge Management Systems and Sharing of Accomplishments and Lessons. Participants will hear from government leaders, development partners, and technical experts on the Unit’s mandate, its role in strengthening coordination, and how the Knowledge Management Systems will support continuous learning and sector‑wide transparency. This session will also provide a global perspective on results-based financing of clean cooking interventions.

Energy mainstreaming—integrating clean energy considerations into planning, budgeting, and coordination across various sectors at both Central and Local Government levels—is essential for enhancing access to clean energy. Over the past decade, the Sub-Regional Energy Forums have been held biannually to strengthen coordination among government levels, unite diverse stakeholders, and advance the decentralisation of the energy sector.

This year’s Sub-Regional Energy Forum, hosted once again during the Renewable Energy Conference, will focus on incorporating energy into district development plans. We are pleased to welcome Energy Focal Persons and Planners from 32 Local Governments, including three cities, along with officials from the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and the Ministry of Local Government. Participants will engage in collaborative sessions designed to guide the development plans of the various local governments.

Over the past 10 months, Open Capital and FSD Africa, supported by the IKEA Foundation, studied how innovative financing can unlock growth for small and growing businesses (SGBs) in Kenya, Uganda, and Ethiopia, with a focus on productive use of renewable energy (PURE). Through 150 consultations and validation workshops, the study mapped technologies such as e-mobility, solar water pumps, and cold storage, identified barriers to SGB growth, and developed finance-focused recommendations. Findings show how to de-risk early-stage investments, strengthen business models, and build a pipeline of climate-positive enterprises to catalyze PURE adoption and attract commercial capital. This session will highlight FSD Africa’s role as a market-builder, showcasing catalytic investments already deployed and new blended finance mechanisms designed to unlock commercial flows into PURE. Participants will be invited to act by committing to pilots, sharing pipeline, or exploring collaborations through a mix of insights, a mini-panel, and live Q&A.

This EEAU session will convene thought leaders, businesses, policymakers, academics, civil society, and development actors to tackle persistent efficiency gaps by developing a framework for inclusive, bankable, and scalable energy efficiency projects. The symposium will focus on creating a private sector-led platform that advocates for the critical role of ESCOs, women, and youth in driving energy efficiency initiatives in partnership with government, development partners, financial institutions, academia, and other sector players. This aims to build and scale up self-sustaining energy efficiency market transformation through inclusive participation, capacity building, knowledge exchange, and investment opportunities. The symposium will serve as celebrations of 10 years of EEAU, Launch of Council on Women in Energy & Environmental Leadership (CWEEL), Launch of students’ chapters and Annual General Meeting.

To strengthen collaboration and amplify the role of women entrepreneurs in advancing renewable energy solutions, GIZ and WE4D are convening a high-level panel discussion as part of Renewable Energy Week. The session will provide a platform for women entrepreneurs in the renewable energy sector to share their experiences, highlight lessons learned, and showcase innovative models that address sector challenges. It will also serve to consolidate partner contributions and foster joint action among financial institutions, market actors, and Entrepreneurial Support Organizations (ESOs). By revitalizing a collective approach to financing, capacity building, and market linkages, the discussion aims to accelerate women’s participation in renewable energy value chains, strengthen ESO support structures, and catalyze inclusive socio-economic development through sustainable access to energy.

Speakers

Session Chair : Tina Wamala, PR, BHC

Speakers :

·  Benjamin Zeitlyn, Team Lead, Growth, Prosperity and Climate, BHC

·  Dr. Brian E. Isabirye, Commissioner, ERD, MEMD.

Keynote: Steven Hunt, Senior Energy Innovation Advisor, FCDO

Topic: Global Perspectives and Experiences on RBFs

Discussants:

·  Eng. Herbert Abigaba, Principal Energy Officer – CCU, MEMD

·  Ronnie Ssejuko, Project Manager, GGGI

·  Lydia Nandawula, Climate Policy Officer, FCDO

·  Dr. Nicholas Mukisa, Deputy National Coordinator, NREP

By Invite Only

Session Chair:

Discussants

·    

Session Chair:

Discussants

·    

Session Chair:

Discussants

·    

13:00 – 14:00

Lunch & Exhibition

DAY TWO

TIME

VICTORIA HALL (PLENARY VENUE)

NREP

ADDIS HALL

KYOGA HALL

NILE HALL

ACHWA HALL

THEMES

CLEAN COOKING

RESEARCH & DATA MANAGEMENT

ACCESS TO FINANCE

ENERGY ACCESS AND MANAGEMENT

ACCESS TO FINANCE

14:00 – 15:30

Partnerships for Livelihood Transformation in Humanitarian Contexts: Clean Cooking, Productive Use of Energy and Skilling

By MECS

Lessons and Opportunities for Biodigester Market Development: A Tale from African Biogas Component Project

By SNV

Innovative Green Financing for Electricity Utilities

By Stanbic Bank

Energy for Climate Compatible Development: Putting People at the Center

By World Research Institute (WRI)

Sustainable Financing through Building Capacity of Domestic Finance: Critical Challenges and opportunities in strengthening the capacity of Uganda’s financial sector to finance RE/EE projects

By GIZ

Preamble

Uganda hosts over 1.5 million refugees and asylum seekers, making it one of Africa’s largest refugee-hosting countries. Most are settled in rural, under-served communities facing limited access to clean energy, constrained economic opportunities, and pressure on natural resources. For both displaced populations and host communities, the lack of sustainable livelihoods, skills development, and basic services deepens vulnerability. Clean energy can help transform these humanitarian settings by powering health facilities, schools, water systems, small businesses, and other productive uses that generate income and build resilience. When paired with targeted skilling and vocational training, such solutions enable communities to start enterprises, improve service delivery, and move toward self-reliance. Unlocking this potential requires strategic partnerships across humanitarian actors, development agencies, government, the private sector, and local communities. This session will explore how collaborative approaches can scale clean energy solutions that expand skills, drive productive use, and improve livelihoods in refugee-hosting districts.

The African Biodigester Component (ABC), a successor to the Africa Biogas Partnership Program, is advancing access to sustainable energy while developing a viable, market-oriented biogas sector and creating low-carbon employment opportunities. The project takes a comprehensive approach, working across demand, supply, and the enabling environment to increase uptake and support private sector growth. In Uganda, the five-year ABC project set an ambitious target of installing 8,000 small-scale biodigesters. As it concludes operations in 2025, the project has generated a wealth of lessons, insights, and practical experiences critical to the future of biogas development in the country. This session will convene the implementers of the ABC project to reflect on what has worked, where challenges remain, and what opportunities lie ahead for scaling up biodigester adoption in Uganda and beyond.

Electricity utilities face an urgent need to expand access, integrate renewables, and strengthen resilience, all while managing financial distress and limited access to capital. At the same time, innovative green financing instruments (green bonds, blended facilities, results-based financing, and carbon credits) remain largely untapped in utility contexts. This session will convene key stakeholders to explore how utilities can mobilize climate-aligned finance at scale and what enabling reforms are needed.

This session will explore how people-centered, data-informed approaches to energy planning can accelerate climate-compatible development in Uganda and beyond. Building on the Energy Access Explorer and partnerships with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development, the Energy Sector GIS Working Group and the Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation at Makerere University, the session will spotlight research and practical use cases including health facility electrification, Productive Use of Renewable Energy (PURE), clean cooking and integrated and inclusive energy planning at national and sub-national level. The event will combine reflections from government, academia, and civil society with a live demonstration of the Energy Access Explorer, the first Digital Public Good designed to deliver climate-compatible energy transitions.

Uganda’s renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors hold immense potential to drive sustainable growth, reduce reliance on traditional fuels, and enhance energy security. However, a significant barrier to unlocking this potential is the financing gap. While development finance institutions have been major players, the long-term sustainability and scale of the sector depend on the robust participation of our domestic financial institutions. This session will explore the critical challenges and opportunities in strengthening the capacity of Uganda’s financial sector—including banks, microfinance institutions (MFIs), and SACCOs—to finance RE/EE projects. The session delves into the specific barriers that hinder investment, such as the perceived high risk of projects, lack of technical expertise among lenders, high upfront costs, and the absence of a clear regulatory framework.

Speakers

Session Chair: Ruth Komuntale, MD, ECOCA East Africa

Discussants:

·   Dr. Iwona Bisaga, Global Clean Cooking Lead, GPA Coordination Unit

·   Jakob Øster, ED, Last-Mile Climate

·   Jalia Kobusingye, Advisor, EU

·   Stephen Ssenkima, Deputy Country Director, Finn Church Aid

Session Chair: Esther Nyanzi, Project Manager, ABC, SNV

Discussants:

·   Solomon Etany, Palladium

·   Christabel Tumwebaze, ABI Trust

·   African Muhangi, Care International Uganda

·   Seungwoo Nam, UNICEF

·   Elvis Mwesigwa, UNICEF

·        Utility executives (CEOs, CFOs, strategy directors)

·        Energy regulators and MDAs

·        Development finance institutions (AfDB, IFC, GCF, World Bank, TDB)

·        Local/commercial banks, pension funds, insurers

·        Carbon market platforms and MRV providers

·        Developers, technology providers, and energy think tanks

·        Energy regulators and MDAs

Session Chair: Anderson Ngowa, Finance Associate, Energy Access and Equitable Development, WRI Africa

Discussants

· Dr. Mukisa Nicholas, NREP, Uganda

· Desmond Tutu, Senior M&E Officer, UECCC

· Edwina Ahamize, GIS Specialist, Energy Sector GIS Working Group

· Pecos Kuteesa, Project Engineer, Energy Modelling, CREEC, Makerere

· Frederic Famba, Energy Access Explorer Associate, Democratic Republic of Congo, WRI Africa

Session Chair:

Discussants:

·   Gorreti Masadde, CEO, UIBFS

·   Virginia Semakula, Pillar Head Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Equity Bank

·   Fred Tumuhairwe, Program Manager Productive Use of Energy, UECCC

·   Denis Mugaga, Head of Climate Finance Unit, MoFPED

·   Abdul Kyanika, Head of Consumer Lending and Renewable Energy, Centenary Bank

·   Denis Rukundo, Programme Component Manager, GIZ PREEEP

DAY TWO

TIME

VICTORIA HALL (PLENARY VENUE)

NREP

ADDIS HALL

KYOGA HALL

NILE HALL

ACHWA HALL

THEMES

CLEAN COOKING

RESEARCH & DATA MANAGEMENT

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION, DEVELOPMENT AND DEPLOYMENT

ENERGY ACCESS AND MANAGEMENT

TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION, DEVELOPMENT AND DEPLOYMENT

15:30 – 17:00

Cooking Transition: Taking Clean Cooking to Institutions

By MECS

Off-grid PURE Solutions and Business Cases: Smallholder Farmers and Micro-Enterprises

By Ayuda en Accion

Driving Uganda’s Energy Transition: Unlocking Biofuels for Transport and Climate Goals

By NBCC

Unlocking the Potential of Green-Hydrogen Development in the East African Community

By EACREEE

E-Mobility Landscape: The Present and Future Prospects

By Uganda E-Mobility Association

Preamble

Uganda’s energy transition cannot be fully realized without tackling the critical challenge of clean cooking, particularly in public institutions such as schools, health centres, and prisons. These facilities are among the largest consumers of traditional biomass fuels, often relying on inefficient technologies that accelerate deforestation, release harmful emissions, and strain operational budgets. While household clean cooking has gained policy and market attention, institutional cooking remains comparatively under‑addressed, despite its significant environmental, economic, and public health impacts. This session convenes senior government officials, development partners, financing institutions, and technical experts to examine how policy frameworks, innovative technologies, and sustainable financing models can accelerate the shift to clean cooking in institutional settings. Discussions will explore how institutional clean cooking can be embedded within broader national priorities, improving education, healthcare, and service delivery while contributing to climate goals and economic resilience.

Smallholder farmers and micro-enterprises are the backbone of Uganda’s rural economy, providing livelihoods, food security, and local economic activity across the country. However, limited access to reliable and affordable energy continues to constrain their productivity, competitiveness, and ability to scale. In areas beyond the reach of the national grid, off-grid renewable energy solutions have emerged as a critical enabler of economic transformation.

In this session, participants will explore how innovative off-grid energy solutions are being deployed to support rural livelihoods and enterprise development in Uganda. It will showcase successful business cases, highlight field experiences, and facilitate knowledge exchange among practitioners, policymakers, financiers, and entrepreneurs. Discussion themes will include appropriate technology options, financing mechanisms, enterprise development, market access, and enabling policy frameworks. The session will also examine how partnerships across the agriculture, energy, and finance sectors can strengthen the PURE ecosystem and drive scale.

Biofuels represent a critical frontier in Uganda’s energy transition, offering pathways to reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, cut transport-sector emissions, and diversify the national economy. With legal frameworks now in place and blending infrastructure under development, Uganda is positioned to move from policy commitments to operational delivery. Harnessing bioethanol, biodiesel, and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) can accelerate climate action while creating new markets for farmers, investors, and innovators.

This session will examine how Uganda can unlock the full potential of biofuels to meet its transport and climate goals. It will highlight progress on blending facilities, identify priority policy and regulatory measures to attract private capital, and foster dialogue between government, developers, and DFIs to close financing gaps. Discussions will also address sustainable feedstock sourcing, quality standards, and the role of biofuels in achieving Uganda’s NDCs. The session aims to deliver concrete, actionable steps to scale the sector and position biofuels as a cornerstone of Uganda’s clean energy future.

The future of energy access in the East African Community (EAC) depends on scaling renewable energy and advancing innovations such as green hydrogen. Leveraging the region’s abundant resources, green hydrogen, though still emerging, offers potential for energy storage, baseload supply, and decarbonization of hard-to-abate sectors like industry and transport, supporting low-emission socio-economic growth. Complementary opportunities include green methanol for shipping and cooking, and Sustainable Aviation Fuel. Expanding infrastructure, including roads, rail, ports, and pipelines, will reduce logistics costs and foster regional trade in hydrogen and its derivatives. Yet, varying levels of infrastructure and institutional readiness across Partner States call for tailored national strategies. This session will examine how green hydrogen can drive universal energy access in the EAC and advance Vision 2050.

On average, Uganda emits 4.9 million tons of carbon dioxide per year. Combined, the transport and agriculture sectors represented 62% of national emissions in 2000 and are projected to represent 70% by 2030 under a ‘business as usual’ scenario. The transport sector is particularly vulnerable to potential disruptive events caused by climate change. Transport energy is a vast and costly consumer of energy, carbon emitter, and fatal polluter in the global south. Amid these challenges, a surge in electric mobility innovation is unfolding. Startups are increasingly offering electric vehicles that are not only cleaner but also more affordable to own and operate. This session will explore the evolving e-mobility landscape in Uganda by reviewing current trends, assessing prospects, and identifying the carbon savings, policy reforms, and financing strategies needed to drive large-scale adoption.

Speakers

Session Chair: Dr Will Clements, Uganda lead researcher – MECS

Discussants:

·  Jacob Fodio-Todd, Research Associate, MECS

·  Justine Akumu, Senior Energy Officer, MEMD

·  Joseph Kapika, Senior Energy Specialist, World Bank 

·  Egide Ntakirutimana, Energy for Food Security Advisor, WFP

Session Chair:

Discussants

·   Aaron Lepold, CEO, EnerGrow

·   Waringa Matindi, CEO, Village Energy

Session Chair: Hon. Daudi Migereko Chairperson, NBCC 

Discussants:

· Policy/Strategy: Representative, National Planning Authority (NPA)

· Investment/Finance: Representative, Development Finance Institution (e.g., AfDB, UECCC)

· Regulatory/Environment: Representative, National Environment Management Authority (NEMA)

· Private Sector/Market: CEO, key private sector biofuel company

· End-User/OMC: Representative from an Oil Marketing Company (OMC)

· Hatimu Muyanja, EO., MEMD

·    

Session Chair: Dr. Paul Nduhuura, Head Research and Capacity Building, NREP

Discussants

·   Mikhail Vydryn, CEO, MOGO Uganda

·   Gaurav Anand, Country Head-Uganda, Spiro

·   Claire Bakhita, Projects and Development Manager, GOGO Electric

Jackie Bazimudde, Projects Manager and Investment Analyst, Zembo

DAY THREE

TIME

VICTORIA HALL (PLENARY VENUE)

NREP

ADDIS HALL

KYOGA HALL

NILE HALL

ACHWA HALL

THEMES

SUSTAINABLE EXTRACTIVES INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

ENERGIZING HUMANITARIAN SETTINGS

LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND

ACCESS TO FINANCE

VOICES

8:00 – 10:30

Sustainable Extractives Industry Development Programme Performance Review

SUSTAINED project (SUpporting  STronger Access to INnovative Energy Solutions in Displacement Settings)

By MercyCorps

Breaking Barriers to Clean Cooking in Informal Settlements: Local Government Intervention Strategy

By ICLEI Africa

Access to Capital: Off-grid Sector Boom under Electricity Access Scale-up Project

By UECCC

End-user Voices: Leaving No One Behind in the Clean Cooking Campaign

By NREP

Preamble

Scope: Provide political leadership, signal government priorities, and set the tone for deliberations on NDPIV and Mineral Development as an ATM.

Scope: Anchor the event in government leadership and provide a retrospective on performance under NDPIII, creating the baseline for discussion. Provide the official programme-level assessment, achievements, gaps, and forward-looking priorities. Establish the framework for deeper institutional contributions.

Scope: OPM presents their assessment of the Program with recommendations for improvement.

Scope: BAMAU presents their assessment of the Program with recommendations for improvement.

The SUSTAINED Project (SUpporting STronger Access to INnovative Energy Solutions in Displacement Settings) seeks to expand access to reliable, affordable, and clean energy for electricity, cooking, and productive use in refugee-hosting districts. This side event will launch Phase II of the project, highlighting impacts and lessons from Phase I, which applied a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach across three pillars: stimulating demand, strengthening supply chains and improving the enabling environment. The project is led by a consortium of CARE, Oxfam, and Mercy Corps with funding from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and implemented with private sector, financial institutions, and refugee-led organizations.  The session will also launch the Humenergi Financing Facility—a first-of-its-kind specialised humanitarian energy financing facility supported through UK Aid from the UK government via the Transforming Energy Access platform.

This half-day exchange will provide a platform for government stakeholders—particularly urban authorities, national ministries, private sector actors, and development partners, to jointly reflect on progress, share experiences, and identify practical steps for enhanced collaboration. With a particular emphasis on the challenges of extending clean and modern cooking solutions to hard-to-reach urban populations, the session will highlight the role of cities in driving innovation, enforcement, and partnership models. It will also explore how energy access can be more effectively mainstreamed in urban governance. Importantly, the exchange will allow local and lower local government officials to be exposed to the broader REC 25 agenda, reinforcing its relevance for energy mainstreaming, capacity building, and practical alignment of clean cooking efforts with wider urban development priorities.

Driven by targeted public investment and private sector engagement under the Electricity Access Scale-up Project (EASP), Uganda’s Off-grid sector has recorded commendable progress with over 119,000 offgrid connections under the project to-date, and further scale-up anticipated. As the country works towards universal electricity access by 2030, offgrid solutions are expected to play a central role, particularly in areas beyond the reach of the national grid. This session will explore how Uganda’s offgrid market is evolving under the EASP framework, examining emerging opportunities, implementation challenges, and the broader enabling environment needed to sustain the momentum generated by the project.

One key reason is that the voices of end-users are still too often missing from the design, delivery, and evaluation of clean cooking solutions. Technologies are sometimes introduced without a deep understanding of user preferences, cultural practices, affordability constraints, or day-to-day realities. As a result, adoption rates remain low, and many interventions fail to achieve lasting impact. This session will bring the experiences, perspectives, and needs of end-users to the center of the clean cooking conversation. It will feature voices from diverse communities sharing their lived experiences with cooking energy and what it would take for them to transition to cleaner alternatives. In this session, discussants will use their native languages.

Speakers

Session Chair:

Speaker: Hon. Dr. Can. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu, MEMD

                Opening Remarks and Policy Direction

Speaker: Eng. Irene Pauline Bateebe, PS, MEMD

                 NDPIII Petroleum and Mineral Development Programme Performance Highlights

Speaker: OPM Rep.

               NDPIII Petroleum and Mineral Programme Performance assessment

Speaker: BAMAU- MoFPED

                NDPIII Performance Petroleum and Mineral Program assessment.

Session Chair:

Discussants:

·         

Session Chair:

Discussants:

·      

Session Chair:

Discussants:

·   Sam Ocanya, Project Manager, EASP

·   Alexander Akena, Country Representative, BGFA

·   Abdul Kyanika, Manager, Centenary Bank

·   Riccardo Ridolfi, CEO, Equatorial Power

Session Chair: Mariah Kizza, Head Finance and Corporate Affairs, NREP

Discussants

·   Aturinda Deborah, Chairperson, KCCL

·   Kwarija Annet, Treasurer, KCCL

·   Natukunda Gloria, Secretary, KCCL

·     Kiconco Shallon, Member, KCCL

Break & Exhibition

DAY THREE

TIME

VICTORIA HALL (PLENARY VENUE)

NREP

ADDIS HALL

KYOGA HALL

NILE HALL

ACHWA HALL

THEMES

SUSTAINABLE EXTRACTIVES INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

ENERGIZING HUMANITARIAN SETTINGS

LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND

ACCESS TO FINANCE

VOICES

11:00 – 13:00

Institutional Panel: Performance Scorecards & Sector Outlook

Development Partner Panel: Perspectives on Mineral Development- including oil and gas and NDPIV Alignment.

Humenergi Financing Facility Launch

By MercyCorps

Breaking Barriers to Clean Cooking in Informal Settlements: Local Government Intervention Strategy

By ICLEI Africa

Energy Subsidies and Results-Based Financing: Experiences, Challenges, and Successes

By UECCC

CARE International

Preamble

Time: 11:00 – 11:20

Local Government View of NDPIII Performance of the Petroleum and Mineral Program assessment.

Scope: ULGA presents their assessment of the Program with recommendations for improvement.

The SUSTAINED Project (SUpporting STronger Access to INnovative Energy Solutions in Displacement Settings) seeks to expand access to reliable, affordable, and clean energy for electricity, cooking, and productive use in refugee-hosting districts. This side event will launch Phase II of the project, highlighting impacts and lessons from Phase I, which applied a Market Systems Development (MSD) approach across three pillars: stimulating demand, strengthening supply chains and improving the enabling environment. The project is led by a consortium of CARE, Oxfam, and Mercy Corps with funding from the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and implemented with private sector, financial institutions, and refugee-led organizations.  The session will also launch the Humenergi Financing Facility—a first-of-its-kind specialised humanitarian energy financing facility supported through UK Aid from the UK government via the Transforming Energy Access platform.

This half-day exchange will provide a platform for government stakeholders—particularly urban authorities, national ministries, private sector actors, and development partners, to jointly reflect on progress, share experiences, and identify practical steps for enhanced collaboration. With a particular emphasis on the challenges of extending clean and modern cooking solutions to hard-to-reach urban populations, the session will highlight the role of cities in driving innovation, enforcement, and partnership models. It will also explore how energy access can be more effectively mainstreamed in urban governance. Importantly, the exchange will allow local and lower local government officials to be exposed to the broader REC 25 agenda, reinforcing its relevance for energy mainstreaming, capacity building, and practical alignment of clean cooking efforts with wider urban development priorities.

Subsidies remain a critical yet often contentious tool in development finance, with concerns about efficiency, value for money, and potential market distortion. Results-Based Financing (RBF) has emerged as a widely used approach, linking disbursements to verified outcomes and offering a more accountable framework for channeling subsidies. In Uganda, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development and its partners have applied RBF to expand electricity access, promote clean cooking, stimulate productive use of energy, and reduce investment risks. While implementation has demonstrated clear successes, it has also faced challenges such as complex monitoring and evaluation, timely disbursement of funds, data protection, and long-term sustainability. This session will bring together private sector actors and RBF implementers to reflect on subsidy design, business models, and their impacts, while sharing experiences, strategies, and lessons that can inform more effective and sustainable financing frameworks.

Under Development

Time: 11:20 – 12:10

Scope: A multi-institutional panel ensuring accountability and inclusivity. Each Agency shares its role in performance delivery, challenges, and outlook under NDPIV.

Session Chair: Senior NPA Official

Discussants: PAU, UNOC, UNMC, MoFPED – BMAU, MEMD.

Speakers

Time: 12:10 – 13:00

Scope: A multi-voice dialogue. Strengthen African institutional presence (AfDB, AU, EAC) alongside global partners. Provides Uganda with a comprehensive external perspective on financing, technical cooperation, and alignment with NDPIV. Session Chair:

Discussants

·  WB/EU (Chair of Development Partners Group)

·   Ambassadors

·  AfDB

·  UN Agencies (UNDP/UNIDO)

·  Regional Body (EAC/AU)

·  Bilateral Partner (e.g., GIZ, FCDO)

Session Chair:

Discussants

·      

Session Chair:

Discussants

·      

Session Chair:

Discussants

· Victoria Butegwa, Energy Advisor, EnDev/ GIZ

·  

·  

13:00 – 14:00

Lunch & Exhibition

DAY THREE

TIME

VICTORIA HALL (PLENARY VENUE)

NREP

ADDIS HALL

KYOGA HALL

NILE HALL

ACHWA HALL

THEMES

SUSTAINABLE EXTRACTIVES INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

ENERGIZING HUMANITARIAN SETTINGS

LEAVING NO ONE BEHIND

POLICY, PLANNING, QUALITY, INSTITUTIONS AND MARKETS

TRAINING, RESEARCH AND COMMUNITIES OF PRACTICE

14:00 – 15:30

Stakeholder Panel: Field and Delivery Partner Voices.

Plenary Q&A & Interactive Dialogue

Sustainably Energizing Refugee and Host Communities Amidst Funding Cuts

By SOLCO

Overcoming Barriers: Local Governments’ Role in Productive Use of Energy and Clean Cooking Advancement

By UNACC & NREP

Biomass Energy Transition in Africa: Policy Shifts, Regulatory Frameworks, and Pathways for Sustainable Livelihoods.

Universities Role in Achieving Uganda’s Vision 2040

By NREP

Preamble

Time: 14:00 – 14:45

Session Chair :

Scope: Broadens scope beyond institutions to include grassroots and market perspectives. Ensures voices of communities, private sector, and vulnerable groups are captured, aligning with inclusivity principles and SDG7.

Discussants: PWG-MDAs, Civil Society, Private Sector, Farmer/Community Cooperative, Youth/Women Entrepreneur, Refugee, Development Partner.

The Solar Electric Cooking Partnership (SOLCO) is a multistakeholder initiative advancing solar-powered electric cooking as a sustainable, affordable, and scalable solution in humanitarian contexts. In Uganda SOLCO is Led by Mercy Corps with support from partners including Last Mile Climate, Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, OPM, UNEP-CC, GPA, WFP, refugee-led organizations, private sector players, and financial institutions—with the aims to enable at least 150,000 households in refugee-hosting districts to transition to solar e-cooking by 2027. This two-hour side event will share early lessons from pilots, highlight opportunities and challenges in scaling solar e-cooking, and convene humanitarian agencies, donors, innovators, refugee representatives, and the private sector to build partnerships that can transform cooking practices, improve health, and protect the environment in Uganda’s displacement settings.

Uganda’s Decentralization Policy positions Local Governments as frontline actors in planning and delivering development services that directly impact communities. In the context of renewable energy, this local mandate creates a unique opportunity to advance the productive use of energy as a driver of local economic development. However, persistent barriers such as limited technical & administrative capacity, financing constraints, inadequate infrastructure and gaps in integrating energy into local development plans continue to stifle progress. This session will examine how local governments can overcome these barriers through experience sharing, collaborative development of practical strategies and the examination of policy interventions that strengthen local governments’ ability to unlock the transformative potential of productive use of energy.

Nearly 2.3 billion people worldwide still lack access to clean cooking, with serious implications for health, gender equity, and climate action. Financing this transition is central to the SDGs and regional climate commitments, requiring inclusive and innovative policies. In Uganda, where over 85% of households rely on traditional biomass, the Government has prioritized clean cooking through the Energy Policy 2023 and its NDC targets. This session will explore policy options to accelerate the shift toward affordable and sustainable clean cooking by engaging government, development partners, and the private sector to strengthen value chains under the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Law, evaluate restrictive biomass policies alongside renewable alternatives, draw lessons from the expired Sustainable Energy Response Plan for Refugees and Host Communities to inform its successor, and consider the role of sustainable biomass in the ongoing review of the National Forestry Policy.

Universities play a critical role in driving national development through research, innovation, human capital development, and partnerships with industry and government. In Uganda, they are recognized as key contributors to the country’s Vision 2040, which seeks to transform Uganda into a modern, middle-income economy. By producing skilled professionals, generating knowledge, and informing policy, universities are central to advancing sustainable development goals and addressing pressing national challenges. This session will bring together university scholars to explore ways of strengthening research in renewable energy and climate action, areas essential for Uganda’s sustainable future. The discussion will focus on enhancing interdisciplinary collaboration, building research capacity, and supporting the next generation of scientists, engineers, and policymakers. The session aims to position universities as active partners in Uganda’s green transition and broader development agenda.

Speakers

Time: 14:45 – 15:30

Session Chair: Independent Minerals Expert

Scope: Allow participants to engage directly, clarify issues, and add value. Keeps the process participatory rather than top-down.

Scope: Provide a structured conclusion with clear recommendations and next steps. The Minister’s closure reaffirms political commitment, while the PS emphasizes operational continuity.

Speakers: Eng. Irene Pauline Bateebe, PS, MEMD

                 Hon. Dr. Can. Ruth Nankabirwa Ssentamu

Session Moderator: Last Mile Climate and Mercy Corps 

Panelists: 

·   Justine Akumu- Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development (MEMD)

·   Dr. Emmy Wasirwa – Director, Wana Energy solutions

·   Shafiq Manafa: Operations Manager, African Clean Energy (ACE)

·   Simon Marot: Executive Director, African Youth Action Network (AYAN)

·   Moses Ogwal: FINCA Uganda

·   Egide Ntakirutimana: Energy Advisor World Food Programme (WFP)

Session Chair: Jackie Nandawula, Policy Advisor and Energy Investment, EnDev GIZ

Discussants

· Rhoda Gwayinga, Clean Cooking Focal Person, KCCA

· Sarah Babirye, Projects Coordinator, UNACC

· Mwaka Agoba, Program Manager, RBF & Clean Cooking, UECCC

· Patrick Drama, District Energy Focal Person, Moyo District Local Government

Session Chair: Clean Cooking Unit Representative

Discussants

· Office of the President Rep.

· EACREEE Rep.

· Ministry of Water and Environment Rep.

· Gulu City Rep.

Keynote: Prof. Lawrence Muganga, VC, Victoria University

Session Chair: Dr. Nicholas Mukisa, MUBS

Discussants:

·   Dr. Shamim K. Matovu, Victoria University

·   Prof. Vincent Bagire, Dean, FGSR, MUBS

·   Prof. Elizabeth Balyejusa Kizito, UCU

·   Prof. Engineer Bainomugisha, Makerere University

·   Dr. Masa Justus, Kyambogo University

15:30 – 17:00

CLOSING CEREMONY