The Department of Environment, the Ministry of Finance and the Antigua and Barbuda Institute of Continuing Education (ABICE) signed a highly anticipated Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen their collaboration to build capacity for the installation, operation, maintenance, and upscaling of renewable energy technologies as part of the Government’s energy transition plans. This agreement solidifies their commitment to work together towards achieving a sustainable future for Antigua and Barbuda.
The MOU covers an implementation period of three years and becomes effective on 1 Jul. 2023. It outlines short-term, medium-term, and long-term activities and initiatives that will support the energy transition and seek to address capacity challenges faced by the nation’s workforce.
At the heart of this partnership are efforts to enhance ABICE’s curriculum to facilitate practical training and implementation of energy transition solutions. ABICE will collaborate closely with the Department of Environment to incorporate sustainable energy concepts into its curricula, participate in capacity-building programs and training initiatives offered by the Department to enhance the skills of its students and to promote a workforce that is well-prepared for the energy transition.
Additionally, the Department of Environment will increase its efforts to donate cutting-edge climate change technologies to support ABICE’s faculty and students in learning about the latest advancements and practices in the field of sustainable energy. Training programmes for public and private sector representatives will also be funded through a Green Climate Fund (GCF) Build project managed by the Ministry of Finance. By aligning ABICE’s educational programs with energy transition standards, the collaboration seeks to equip the workforce with the necessary skills and knowledge to thrive in the evolving sustainable energy sector.
By pooling their expertise and resources, the Department of Environment, the Ministry of Finance and ABICE will actively contribute to building a greener and more resilient economy.
The entities are excited about the opportunities this partnership will bring and are confident that it will contribute significantly to the sustainable development of Antigua and Barbuda. By working together, they aim to create a robust educational framework, foster innovation, and enable a just and successful transition to a clean energy future.
