Abuja, 24th July 2017. Energy stakeholders have recommended the establishment of an Inter-Institutional Committee which will work assiduously for the re-opening of the Inter-African Engineering Electricity College- Ecole Inter-Africaine d’Electricité (ESIE) in Bingerville, Côte d’Ivoire.

At the end of their two-Day Workshop in Abuja, Nigeria on the 22^nd of July 2017, the experts said the Committee would be composed of representatives of the ECOWAS Commission, Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Energy, Association of Power Utilities of Africa (APUA) also known as ASEA, West African Power Pool (WAPP), African Development Bank (AfDB), and the World Bank.

The Report detailing the decisions of the consultation meeting also said the institutions will be formally notified by ECOWAS of the workings of the Inter-Institutional Committee which would be led by ASEA.

According to the Report, ECOWAS Commission would bring the observations of the meeting such as availability of the site of the college to the attention of the Government of Côte d’Ivoire while the feasibility study to be carried out should consider the two options of either making do with the original site or acquiring a new one. However, if the school is to reopen within an optimal period of two years, then it would have to be at the original site at Bingerville.

In the concept note commissioned for the resumption of ESIE academic activities, the consultant described the initial orientations envisaged for reopening of the school, notably the institutional, pedagogical and infrastructural aspects which are meant to be further elaborated by the feasibility study.

The two-Day meeting featured among others, presentations and discussions on the concept note developed by ECOWAS as wells as reviews of proposals that emerged for an effective revitalization of ESIE activities including the definition of the desired roadmap.

Also presented were various components of the project and their related costs covering rehabilitation, extension and re-equipment including an 18-month project implementation plan for the resumption of ESIE activities.

At the close of the two-Day consultation Workshop, the ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for Energy and Mines Dr. Morlaye Bangoura thanked participants for their diligence and for the consensus reached in the emergence of the desired roadmap.

He stressed that by playing their full role and taking part in the process, the reopening of ESIE would become a reality in the near future to the joy of electricity companies, the energy sector and the people of West Africa in general.

The concluding Report of the consultative meeting is expected to be presented to the next Council of Ministers for their recommendation and subsequent approval of the authority of Heads of State and Government.