Aug 16, 2026 2 min read

The Secretary General of the West African Power Pool (WAPP), Mr Abdoulaye DIA, received a delegation from the International Institute for Water and Environmental Engineering (2iE) at the WAPP General Secretariat, on the 22^nd of July, 2026 in Abomey-Calavi, Benin. The delegation was led by the Director General of 2iE, Professor El Hadji Bamba DIAW.

The working visit formed part of efforts to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions, particularly in the areas of training, certification, applied research and skills development for the regional electricity sector. It also provided an opportunity to examine ways of revitalising and deepening the partnership established under the framework agreement signed in June 2022.

Discussions focused on the skills required to support the synchronisation of West African power systems, the operationalisation of the Regional Electricity Market, and the development of mini-grids, hybrid systems and smart grids. The two parties also examined the establishment of a regional training and certification programme covering smart grids, energy storage, digitalisation, remote monitoring, maintenance and demand-side management.

At the end of the meeting, WAPP and 2iE reaffirmed their commitment to building a structured, practical and results-oriented partnership. The next steps include establishing a joint technical committee, assessing the training needs of WAPP member utilities, finalising the concept note and preparing a specific cooperation agreement.

This collaboration is expected to contribute to the sustainable strengthening of the capacities of professionals in the electricity sector, support the integration of power systems across West Africa, and promote local content.