The Honourable Minister for Energy, Dr Paa Kwesi Ndoum has been invited to the United Kingdom as guest of the UK government. He will be in the UK between 23 - 24 October 2003.

The purpose of the visit is to participate in the launch of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). As part of its international efforts to combat climate change, and in particular as part of the plan on energy security for Africa from the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD), the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been funding the REEP.

The REEEP brings together governments, business and other stakeholders with the aim of fostering international collaboration to accelerate the market growth of modern renewable and energy efficiency technologies. Its objective is to help in the removal of the policy technical, market and regulatory barriers to their development and to lower their costs so that they become affordable energy options.

Ghana has played a leading role in West Africa for this initiative, and in June this year hosted a regional workshop attended by other West African countries keen to take action on renewables and energy efficiency initiatives.