MINEE Launches Three-Day Workshop on Environmental and Social Management for Electricity Sector Reform

The Ministry of Water Resources and Energy (MINEE), through the Coordination Unit of the Electricity Sector Reform Program, today launched a three-day capacity-building workshop on the Environmental and Social Management System (ESMS) of the Program-for-Results (PforR) component.

The workshop brings together representatives of public administrations, technical institutions, development partners, and other key stakeholders involved in the implementation of the program. Its objective is to strengthen participants’ understanding of environmental and social risk management mechanisms and promote the effective implementation of the ESMS.

Opening the workshop, the representative of the Minister of Water Resources and Energy emphasized the importance of integrating environmental and social considerations into development initiatives to ensure sustainable and inclusive results.

Developed following recommendations from the 2023 Environmental and Social Systems Assessment (ESSA), the ESMS provides a framework for environmental and social screening, labor management, stakeholder engagement, grievance redress, occupational health and safety, and the inclusion of vulnerable groups.

The first day focused on presenting the ESMS and its operational procedures. Over the next two days, participants will continue discussions, practical sessions, and experience-sharing aimed at strengthening their capacity to support the system’s implementation, monitoring, and auditing.

The workshop also seeks to foster collective ownership of the ESMS and reinforce environmental and social governance within Cameroon’s Electricity Sector Reform Program.

By Vera Asheri Mbang