European Union Energy Initiative Partnership Dialogue Facility (EUEI PDF)

European Union Energy Initiative Partnership Dialogue Facility  (EUEI PDF)

Background

The Partnership Dialogue Facility (EUEI PDF) is an instrument developed and funded by a number of EU member states and the European Commission in the context of the EU Energy Initiative (EUEI). Currently the EUEI PDF is financed by the Netherlands, Germany, the European Commission, Sweden, Austria and Finland.

The overall objective of the EUEI PDF is to support the development of policies and strategies for the promotion of access to energy at national and regional level. These are based on dialogue within and between partner countries, their regional organisations, EU member states and the European Commission.

Mission

EUEI PDF has a two-fold mission:

• To support developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere to design policies and action-oriented regional, national and sub-national strategies in order to create an enabling environment and platform for government, private sector and donor-funded investments for improved energy access. This support is based on dialogue activities at all levels, supplemented by thematic studies on critical energy access topics.
• To cooperate with the partners of the EUEI, especially the European Commission and the African partners, in the implementation of the Africa-EU Energy Partnership (AEEP), the Africa-EU Renewable Energy Cooperation Programme (RECP) and other EUEI initiatives through dialogue, thematic studies and information dissemination activities.

Activities

Between 2005 and 2009, the EUEI PDF funded more than 30 projects in 15 different countries (plus 7 regional projects). It has also conducted thematic studies on key energy issues such as biomass cooking energy and rural electrification agencies that have led innovative approaches.

Project selection criteria

• Coherence with national or regional energy sector priorities
• Expected impact on improved energy access for poverty reduction and the achievement of the MDGs
• Potential to leverage private sector investment in the energy sector