The REEW has become one of the most important expert workshops of German bilateral DC in the energy sector. With this five-day event, the BMZ supports national transformation processes towards sustainable energy systems and energy access. Numerous discussions and presentations on energy technologies of the future, global and national trends in the energy transition, business models and financing, and private sector engagement highlighted the requirements for future global energy supply. This year, the focus was on decarbonization, synergy effects between climate and energy, and the energy-urban transport nexus. For Bärbel Höhn, the BMZ's energy representative for Africa, the matter is clear: Sustainable energy for all is the most important sustainability goal, because the achievement of the other SDGs depends largely on SDG 7. Without energy, no hospital, no school can be operated, no rural region can be developed. In this respect, a sustainable ("firm in the vision") energy transition that is tailored to the respective regional requirements ("flexible on the way") is the only way to protect humanity from the effects of climate change and at the same time open up development opportunities for them. To this end, GIZ programs bring together the use of clean energy and the goals of the SDGs in many ways: While EnDev contributes to women and health with Clean Cooking, for example, GET.pro supports local entrepreneurs.

In numerous discussions at REEW, it was repeatedly emphasized that the energy transition in DC partner countries essentially depends on the realization of three levels of supply on the ground: The basic supply of households and micro-enterprises, the supply beyond these basic needs towards a sustainable, decentralized and productive use of energy, and the supply of large consumers and consumption centers. A visible example of this is Green Citizen Energy, which aims to supply 500 commercial enterprises (SMEs) by 2022, including at least 50% in the agricultural sector with renewable energy, with a particular focus on collaboration with local actors, municipalities and cooperatives. This year's "Private Sector Day", which was again organized in cooperation with the DC-Scout program, once again brought the importance of the private sector in mobilizing human resources, financing, innovation and know-how as well as involving civil society in the implementation of national energy transitions in GIZ partner countries more into focus. Around 30 invited representatives from industry associations and companies from the renewable energy, energy efficiency, grid integration and energy storage sectors were available for an exchange with the REEW participants.