Executive summary
RAERESA is the “Regional Association of Energy Regulators for Eastern and Southern Africa”. It is a COMESA specialised agency mandated to promote integration and investment in the energy sector in COMESA region by creating a harmonised regulatory environment. Through RAERESA, the national regulators cooperate and exchange best practice.
Legal framework of RAERESA
The Regional Association of Energy Regulators for Eastern and Southern Africa (RAERESA) was established by its Constitution pursuant to Articles 106 to 109 of the Treaty establishing the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
These Articles provide that the COMESA Member States will undertake to cooperate in the joint development and utilisation of energy resources, creation of more favourable investment climate to encourage public and private investment, encouragement of joint utilisation of training and research facilities, exchange of information on energy systems and investment opportunities, and development of research programmes on renewable energy systems. In addition, the COMESA Member States are expected to develop a common strategy in the more efficient use of energy and to accede to international agreements that are designed to improve the management of energy resources, develop new renewable energy resources and coordinate the exchange of information on energy resources.
Objectives of RAERESA
1. Capacity building and information sharing;
2. Facilitation of ESI policy, legislation and regulations;
3. Regional energy regulatory cooperation; and
4. Inter-regional cooperation.
Structure
The structure of RAERESA, as defined by the RAERESA Constitution, consists of:
1. the Plenary which is the highest decision-making body
2. the Executive Committee
3. the Portfolio Committees
4. the Secretariat (which is to be headed by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) responsible for day-to-day affairs.
Vision
To be a centre of excellence for energy regulation and consumer protection in the COMESA Region
Mission
To promote energy regulation and protect consumer welfare within the COMESA region thereby facilitating regional integration of the energy markets in the COMESA region
Objectives
The objectives of RAERESA include:
1. Capacity building and information sharing
2. Facilitation of ESI policy, legislation and regulations
3. Regional energy regulatory cooperation
4. Inter-regional cooperation
Membership of RAERESA
RAERESA was officially launched on 16 March 2009 and came officially into existence with the signing of its Constitution by seven national energy regulators from COMESA Member States, namely: Ethiopia, Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Rwanda and Sudan. Currently, as at January 2017, RAERESA has 10 Full Members, 5 Associate Members and 4 Observers, as it follows:
1. Full Members of RAERESA (10)
a. Electric Utility and Consumer Protection Regulatory Agency of the Arab Republic of Egypt
(http://www.egyptera.org/en/),
b. Energy Regulatory Authority of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (http://www.
ethioenergyauthority.gov.et/),
c. Energy Regulatory Commission of the Republic of Kenya (http://www.erc.go.ke/),
d. Electricity Regulation Office of the Republic of Madagascar (http://www.ore.mg/),
e. Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Malawi
(http://www.meramalawi.mw/),
f. Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Rwanda (http://www.rura.rw/),
g. Seychelles Energy Commission of the Republic of Seychelles (http://www.sec.sc/),
h. Electricity Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Sudan (http://www.era.gov.sd/web/en/),
i. Electricity Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Uganda (http://era.or.ug/), and
j. Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Zimbabwe (http://www.zera.
co.zw/).