GET.invest and GET.transform launch joint country window in Zimbabwe
27 May 2025 | Last week, GET.invest and GET.transform officially launched their Zimbabwe Country Window, established with the financial support of the European Union (EU) and Germany. The launch event, held in Harare at the EU Zimbabwe Business Forum, featured a symbolic signing of the co-financing agreement between the EU and Germany, with Zimbabwe observing. It occurred in the additional presence of key stakeholders from the public and private sectors, as well as international development partners. GET.invest and GET.transform will collaborate to catalyse investment in renewable energy solutions in the pursuance and support of Zimbabwe´s energy ambitions and broader development goals.
Together with their donors – the European Union, Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria – GET.invest and GET.transform have established a series of country windows that allow the programmes to focus on selected national sustainable energy markets. The Country Window in Zimbabwe will build on this international experience to unlock financing for sustainable energy projects and businesses in the country and would be available to share perspectives on the optimisation of the regulatory framework with Zimbabwean counterparts. GET.invest and GET.transform are part of the European multi-donor platform Global Energy Transformation Programme (GET.pro) aimed at bundling European efforts in order to scale-up action on international energy and climate goals. Bothare implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and will closely cooperate with other donor-funded and multilateral initiatives in Zimbabwe.
Pursuing Zimbabwe´s energy ambitions and broader development goals
With a historically strong reliance on hydro power, Zimbabwe has been facing significant electricity challenges as unexpected droughts have severely limited power generation in recent years. This has had adverse impacts on the broader economy. Climate change is expected to lead to ongoing uncertainty in this regard and a diversification of generation sources is widely agreed to be essential. Zimbabwe is richly endowed with solar irradiation and this highly affordable energy source is also one of the quickest to deploy.
Zimbabwe hosts the well-established and successful Southern African Power Pool (“SAPP”), one of the largest that exist internationally and the custodian of international power trade in the SADC region. The SAPP creates additional opportunities for Zimbabwe in reaching energy security in an affordable manner. Rural electrification has progressed well, but universal access has not yest been achieved.
To address these challenges, GET.invest Zimbabwe will facilitate access to finance for clean energy companies and projects through GET.invest’s Finance Access Advisory, and boost local currency financing through its EDGE Finance service. These tailored facilities will support Zimbawean developers and businesses in securing investments and contribute to the country´s energy transition and universal electrification goals.
GET.transform already supports the SAPP in expanding its regional role and will now also offer advice on the optimisation of the Zimbabwean regulatory regime for securing private investment and rapid development of the electricity sector.
High-level endorsements
In her presentation in the renewable energy session immediately preceding the signing ceremony, the Permanent Secretary of the Zimbabwe Ministry for Energy and Power Development, the Honourable Dr Gloria Magombo, reiterated the central and important roles of both renewable energy and the private sector in the country’s energy plan. She summarised the five pillars of the National Energy Compact for Zimbabwe being Expanding Generation and Infrastructure; Strengthening Regional Integration; Promoting Distributed Renewable Energy and Clean Cooking; Catalysing Private Sector-led Investment and Ensuring the Financial Viability of Utilities.
The EU ambassador to Zimbabwe, His Excellency Jobst von Kirchmann, in his address before the signing ceremony, underlined the potential of the GET.pro country window in the Zimbabwean context, stating: “…(GET.invest) … serves as a One Stop Shop for companies ….potentially (towards) finance but … also free technical assistance to make their projects bankable”. On GET.transform, he explained that the instrument would “work with the Government to create an even more fertile environment, so that these renewable energy projects can grow.”
Also speaking at the launch, His Excellency, Udo Volz, the German ambassador to Zimbabwe, underlined the Team Europe nature of the GET.pro Country Window and thanked the other global contributors to GET.pro (the EU, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands and Austria). Speaking about the potential value of the instruments, he said: “We see that renewable energy will be a transformative power in the country”. He pointed out the convergence in Zimbabwe of energy and climate, with recent drought having challenged hydro-based electricity generation, and reiterated the importance of assisting private sector projects towards finance and project success.
Mr Isaiah Nyakusendwa, Chair of the Renewable Energy Association of Zimbabwe (“REAZ”), who also observed the signing, commented outside the ceremony that: “As private sector we are excited with the timely launch of the GET.pro Zimbabwe Country Window. Technical assistance to the public sector will go a long way towards enabling the environment for private sector investment in the energy sector.”
Looking ahead
GET.invest and GET.transform Zimbabwe will kick off activities immediately, with a representative already in Harare. It will amongst other activities provide market intelligence, industry mobilisation and capacity development support to local stakeholders, equipping them with the tools needed to expand clean energy solutions across the country. Discussions with regulatory authorities have already commenced a recently completed “Energy Sector Transformation Outlook” for the country will guide further work. By leveraging the expertise and networks of the broader programmes, the Zimbabwe Country Window is set to accelerate investments that will enhance energy security, drive economic growth and improve the quality of life for Zimbabweans.
For further information, please contact the GET.invest Zimbabwe Country Window Coordinator, Johan van der Berg (johan.vandenbeg@get-invest.eu).