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Joint Communiqué on the Outcomes of the Meeting between the Ministers of Energy of Angola and Namibia

On June 4th, a Bilateral Meeting was held at the Laúca Hydroelectric Dam in Malanje Province to discuss the 881 MW Baynes Binational Hydroelectric Project. This initiative is a joint effort by the Governments of Angola and Namibia, situated in the lower Cunene River area, close to their shared border. The meeting aimed to review the outcomes of the previous virtual bilateral meeting on November 20, 2023.

The Ministers expressed their satisfaction with the progress achieved by the professionals and consultants working on the binational project. They underscored the Baynes Binational Energy Project’s strategic significance for Angola, Namibia, and the broader SADC region, especially given that Angola is not yet connected to the SADC regional transmission network.

With the major studies now completed and after a thorough evaluation of the findings and recommendations, the Ministers made the following decisions:

  1. Merge the two Baynes Project Offices into a single joint implementation unit, to be based in either Luanda or Windhoek, with a satellite office in one of these cities.
  2. Establish a joint bank account in Luanda or Windhoek, managed by the Baynes Project implementation unit, with an annual budget provided by both Governments.
  3. Approve the updated 2023 Technical-Economic Feasibility Study Report.
  4. Authorize the construction of a regulation dam approximately 12 km downstream from the main dam, with a capacity of 21 MW, which will also function as a bridge for the road corridor.
  5. Recommend the public model as the most suitable for implementing the Baynes Binational Hydroelectric Project, advising both Governments to give their final approval by September 2024.
  6. Complete the legal review of the Baynes Binational Implementation Agreement, with a joint review meeting scheduled for June 2024 in Windhoek, Namibia.
  7. Ensure that the Baynes Binational Implementation Agreement is signed by July 2024.

The Ministers also highlighted the following developments:

  • The feasibility study for the Baynes interconnection lines is in its advanced stages, with completion anticipated by mid-2025.
  • The President of Angola has already approved the commencement of construction on the temporary access route from Tombwa-Garota Nova, via Moimba, in 2024.

João Baptista Borges  João Baptista Borges  João Baptista Borges 

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