By Kudzaishe Chimonera
Vice President Constantino Chiwenga has called on Southern African nations to accelerate investment in clean energy, warning that the region must move beyond policy discussions and deliver concrete results to unlock economic growth.
Speaking at the official opening of the 2026 Southern African Development Community (SADC) Sustainable Energy Week in Victoria Falls, Chiwenga said the global energy system was undergoing a structural transformation driven by capital shifts, reconfigured supply chains and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
“Southern Africa must not be a spectator to this transition, we must shape it,” he said.
He commended SADC for advancing sustainable energy development through regional collaboration, capacity building and knowledge sharing.
“It is also through these collaborative platforms is only how we ca unlock investment opportunities, facilitate transfer of critical skills and dive transformative change for Africa to rise to the occasion of industrialization to benefit our economies and communities,” he said.
Addressing the theme, “Driving Regional Economic Growth through Clean Energy and Energy Efficiency,” Chiwenga said the global pivot towards renewables presents significant opportunities for the continent.
He noted that solar photovoltaic technologies have fallen in cost by more than 80% over the past decade.
Africa’s green economy, he added is projected to generate more than 3.3 million new direct and indirect jobs, particularly in the solar sector spanning manufacturing, installation, maintenance and innovation.
“Zimbabwe has already benefitted from this green wave, creating numerous jobs in renewable energy and related industries. This demonstrates our commitment to sustainable growth and inclusive economic development,” he said.
Despite Africa holding nearly 60% of the world’s best renewable energy resources, Mr Chiwenga acknowledged that the continent continues to face significant power shortages.
“Our continent continues to face challenges of power deficits,” he said.
At regional level, he said Southern Africa remains energy-constrained due to ageing infrastructure, transmission bottlenecks and an infrastructure financing gap estimated at US$83 billion.
“The region’s strategic initiatives—such as the Renewable Energy Strategy and Action Plan (RESAP), the Energy Efficiency Strategy, and the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP) are crucial in addressing these challenges. These frameworks must now transition from strategy documents to implementation pipelines in increasing renewable energy share, reduce energy intensity, facilitate cross-border electricity trade and improve system resilience,” he said.
Turning to Zimbabwe’s domestic outlook, Chiwenga said national electricity access stands at around 62%, with rural access slightly above 20%.
“Therefore, under National Development Strategy 2 and our Energy Compact, as we pursue universal access by 2030, we are: liberalizing generation to attract Independent Power Producers; Enabling direct power purchase agreements; Expanding private sector participation in transmission and distribution; Accelerating rural electrification targeting universal coverage of schools and clinics and mobilizing domestic capital through structured engagement with local financial institutions,” he said.
He concluded by urging financiers, policymakers and academics to accelerate reform and investment.
“Southern Africa possesses the resources. We possess the market and the strategic geography. What is required now is execution, discipline and investment acceleration. If we act decisively, Southern Africa can transition from energy deficit to energy surplus; from commodity exporter to industrial hub; from climate vulnerability to climate resilience. Clean energy is no longer a future aspiration, it is an immediate economic strategy,” he said.
