Covid-19: AFD is supporting energy operators in Africa and Asia
published on 21 April 2020
Agence Française de Développement has launched a series of web conferences for those involved in the electricity sector, to assist them during this global health crisis. Two sessions are planned every week in French and English until 5 May.
With the severe disruption caused by Covid-19, how do we ensure the continuity of a sector as strategic as energy production and distribution? In response, Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has launched a series of online conferences aimed at people working in the electricity sector, to help them be in a position to manage the crisis.
“Covid-19 has unsettled our systems of electrical power,” says Mathilde Bord-Laurans, head of AFD’s Energy Division. “In Europe, operators had not anticipated that the economy would shut down like this. In the geographical areas where we operate, we are perhaps just at the start of the wave. A number of measures can be expected.”
AFD is offering a series of six webinars (virtual seminars) to its partners: electricity operators, regulators and Ministries of Energy in Africa, Asia and the Middle East (excluding the French Overseas Territories).
Cybersecurity and cash-flow management
The various sessions are led by experts in power grids and crisis management from the consultancy firm PwC and companies in the sector. The aim is to take into account the latest news about the epidemic and its effects around the world. The series will also address any new issues arising from the crisis as they pertain to the electricity sector (logistics, cybersecurity for example), and share methodologies and good practices.
Participants share their experience and put questions to the speakers. Individual support for crisis management is available on request.
“This is crisis coaching”, says Mathilde Bord-Laurans. “And operators have the opportunity to tailor their exchanges in the following sessions, based on their needs.”
BONUS SESSION
A special session on contractual and legal issues will take place on Tuesday 12 May at 9h30 (Paris local time / GMT + 2 ). A member of French electricity firm EDF will speak about how the company has managed the Covid-19 crisis.
For more information, please send an e-mail to: fr_conferencecovid19@pwc.com or Download the program.
REPLAY PAST WEBINARS
Watch previous sessions here.
• Session 1 - 16 April: Covid-19 Crisis Management, the New Paradigm (Download the program)
• Session 2 - Tuesday 21 April: Cybersecurity and Physical Safety Issues on Sites (Download the program)
• Session 3 - Thursday 23 April: Emergency Cash-flow problems and Supply management issues (Download the program)
• Session 4 - Tuesday 28 April at 16:00: Business Continuity Issues and Feedback (Download the program)
• Session 5 - Thursday 30 April at 16:00: Supply Chain and Supply Issues (Download the program)
• Session 6 – Tuesday 5 May at 16:00: Crisis Communication Issues (Download the program)
• Session 7 - Tuesday 12 May at 9:30: Force majeure and contractual distributions (Download the Program)
