1. Harnessing Energy for Poverty Reduction
Energy Partnerships
CSD 14 Partnerships in Practice Interactive Discussion Session
Improving access to energy for the poor: benefits of partnering

2. The GVEP Approach
Technology neutral (clean sources to the extent possible)
Multi-application: electricity, heating, cooking, lighting, cooling, transport, etc. (i.e. not just power)
Multi-use: Emphasis on productive use & livelihoods; also education, health & social
Multi-stakeholder: private, public, NGO
Multi-sector: energy, agric, water, health, education, SMEs, etc
Market principles
Invovles the following
Energy is an input not an output
advocating a range of energy options based on local needs/resources (advocating cleaner sources to the extent possible)
Productive, consumptive, social
access to fuels needed to cook 95% of staple foods
Its diversity creates for GVEP the opportunity to occupy a strong advocacy position in the development community able to ensure small voices are heard and that small talk can become big talk.

3. Progress made
GVEP has made some important progress towards these goals
Over the past 3 years, GVEP has focused on providing technical assistance and funding from donor partners to enable developing country partners to undertake two types of country actions:
Development of action plans with projects/programmes to address the energy needs of key sectors identified in national poverty reduction strategies; and
Carrying out the necessary studies and project development activity in order to reorient major national energy programmes towards more productive uses and livelihoods transforming activities.

4. Progress made Africa Country-level
Cameroon: support to development of the National Energy Action Plan (NEAP)
Ghana: the preparation of the Energy for Poverty Reduction Action Plan – action plan to be launched on June 15th.
Regional:
West Africa: support for the development of a White Paper on energy for poverty reduction agreed by Energy Ministers of the Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS).
East Africa: developing country action plans – looking to scale up
One of the most isolated, excluded eco regions in the country which bore the brunt of the war

5. Progress made
Brazil: links were made between the Light for All Programme (“Luz para Todos” – LpT), the national poverty and hunger reduction strategy and a number of national initiatives. The Integrated Actions Work Plan under LpT is now a component of Brazil’s poverty reduction strategy.
Guatemala: a GVEP action plan was produced and GVEP is working with REEEP
One of the most isolated, excluded eco regions in the country which bore the brunt of the war

6. GVEP – moving on to the next phase
building further on an already strong relationship with donor, NGO and developing country government partners
extending the current focus to reinforce the “village”
component of GVEP by mobilising, supporting and adding to the smaller, in-country partners and implementers (non-profit and for profit) which form the backbone of the Partnership, and providing them with a range of appropriate resources.

7. Making Village Issues Global Issues
Work in focus countries to create future regional hubs
develop and roll-out a new range of tools to initiate, reinforce and develop local energy access supply chains
Feed back through an improved knowledge base information on the most effective energy access organisational and product innovations and cross-fertilise this information with national action planning and project identification
Making Village Issues Global Issues