By Wallace Mawire
Zimbabwe is set to host the eigth meeting of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe from 25 to 27 August 2026.
The International Solar Alliance (ISA), a multilateral initiative was jointly launched by India and France at COP21 in 2015 and serves as a global platform for over 120 Member Countries to advance solar energy deployment as a driver of sustainable development, energy secu rity, and climate action.
In a statement, ISA said the meeting is being convened at a critical moment for Africa’s solar energy transition and ISA’s engagement with its Member Countries.
It added that the meeting will provide a platform to review progress, align regional priorities and advance implementation focused on energy access, climate resilience, industrial development, food security and economic transformation.
According to ISA, Africa possesses approximately 60% of the world’s best solar resources but accounts for only 1% of global installed solar PV capacity.
It said by the end of 2024, Africa’s installed solar PV capacity stood at 21 GW, including 11 GW in South Africa and 3 GW in Egypt, leaving the remaining 54 countries with only 8 GW, approximately 0.33% of global capacity. Of the USD 521 billion invested globally in solar in 2024, only about USD 9 billion (2%) was directed to Africa.
The association said around 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa remain without electricity access, representing nearly 80% of the global population without access.
It is said that fewer than 60% of African countries currently operate renewable energy auction or tender programmes. Key constraints include policy and regulatory barriers, limited access to blended finance and risk mitigation instruments, and institutional capacity gaps.
The Meeting will run over three days, from 25 to 27 August 2026, comprising an opening ceremony, plenary and thematic session s, a Ministerial Session on Country Partnership Frameworks, and a site visit, alongside a Press Meet for media on Wednesday, 26 August.
The Meeting is expected to advance the operationalisation of the Africa Solar Facility, with a USD 25 million contribution fr om the Government of India catalysing approximately USD 700 million in blended finance for solar scale-up. It will also see progress on Country Partnership Frameworks, the launch of the ISA Community of Practice on Solarisation of Agriculture in Africa, announcements on STAR Centres of Excellence and capacity-building initiatives, the launch of the Africa PV Waste Outlook, and the release of ISA’s flagship Solarising Africa Strategy Report. Thematic sessions will provide direction on battery storage, e-mobility, artificial intelligence, digitalisation, critical minerals, and harmonisation of standards.
