06/08/2026
BOTSWANA, EU COMMITTED TO DRIVE GREEN ENERGY INVESTMENT THROUGH ASPIRE PROGRAMME
Botswana has launched the Accelerating Sustainable and Productive Investment in Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ASPIRE) Programme this morning at Protea Hotel, Gaborone. ASPIRE, a four-year initiative (February 2026โJanuary 2030) funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented in partnership with the Government of Botswana and the Delegation of the EU to Botswana and SADC. The programme aims to accelerate the country's transition to a cleaner, more sustainable, and resilient energy sector through technical assistance, capacity building, and policy support.
Giving her Keynote Address, the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Honourable Bogolo Joy Kenewendo reaffirmed Botswanaโs commitment to transforming the energy sector through innovation, partnerships, and investment in sustainable solutions.
She said the transition that Botswana is building cannot succeed through the ambition alone, it must be underpinned by deliberate choices, clear priorities and accountable ex*****on. She outlined four commitments that the Government is making through the Ministry of Minerals and Energy to the people of Botswana, every investor, entrepreneur and development partner who is placing their confidence in Botswana and in the countryโs future.
She outlined the four key commitments as follows:
Confidence โ Strengthening quality assurance, safety, and professionalism in the rooftop solar market to build investor and consumer trust.
Efficiency โ Speeding up regulatory processes to match the pace of the global energy transition and support Botswanaโs rooftop solar targets, including commissioning over 31 MW from rooftop solar installations towards a 75 MW goal.
Partnership โ Encouraging collaboration between government, regulators, utilities, financial institutions, and the private sector to finance and expand renewable energy infrastructure. She said Botswanaโs responsibility is to provide certainty while the private sectorโs responsibility is to bring innovation, capital and ex*****on, which together create growth.
She said the next challenge is no longer whether Botswana has sufficient renewable energy, but ensuring that electricity can move efficiently across the country and ultimately beyond Botswana borders, hence the Ministry is working closely with stakeholders in developing frameworks to enable private sector investment in the entire energy market.
Inclusion โ Ensuring all Batswana benefit from the energy transition through investment in mini-grids and off-grid systems, and ensuring that clean cooking and biogas initiatives continue to improve the lives of Batswana, particularly in rural areas where access to modern energy solutions has the greatest potential to improve health, reduce environmental pressures and expand economic opportunity.
On her part the EU Ambassador to Botswana and SADC, Her Excellency Petra Pereyra reaffirmed the European Unionโs commitment to Botswana, describing ASPIRE as a reflection of the strong partnership between the EU and Botswana in promoting sustainable development, inclusive economic growth, good governance, and regional cooperation.
Overall, ASPIRE will help Botswana diversify its energy mix, reduce dependence on electricity imports, attract investment in renewable energy, and advance a low-carbon, inclusive energy future. ASPIRE Botswana is aligned with Botswanaโs national priorities for energy sector transformation and will contribute to strengthening the foundations required for increased renewable energy investment and improved energy management.
