Between 5 and March 2012, teams from Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Liberia and Tanzania will be in Nairobi, Kenya, to attend the third meeting of pilot countries participating in the Scaling-up Renewable Energy Program (SREP), a Climate Investment Funds (CIF) program.

This annual event gathers all SREP pilots from around the world to exchange their experiences, lessons learned and best practices in executing SREP investment plans. As an implementing agent of the CIF, the African Development Bank (AfDB) will also be there.

Particular focus will be on technologies, financing instruments and private sector engagement. A joint session organized with Norway's Energy+ initiative will bring together SREP countries and representatives of the private sector renewable energy market to explore ways to build partnerships and mobilize investments in renewable energy.

"I am looking forward to the next pilot country meeting to share with other MDB colleagues and country representatives our difficulties and successes in developing and implementing the SREP," stated Florence Richard-Quintanilha, AfDB senior climate change specialist and member of Mali's SREP team. "More specifically, I am hoping that we can get a better understanding of what is expected from countries in terms of monitoring and evaluating results of the programs."

As SREP investment plans move into the implementation stage in Africa and worldwide, M&E figures heavily in discussion. Countries will work together to solidify understanding of the SREP results framework, core indicators and CIF reporting requirements.

Kenya and Mali have been invited to present on the main challenges they faced when they developed the M&E section in their SREP investment plans. Capacity building at the program level will also be addressed.

A one-day "Master Class" structured around case study-based learning will be followed by a field trip organized