Brochure of the Institut de l'énergie et de l'environnement de la Francophonie (IEPF)(2002, PDF file, 216 Ko - will be updated soon)

The Institut de l’énergie et de l’environnement de la Francophonie (IEPF) is a subsidiary body of the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie.
 

IEPF’s mission is to initiate and support capacity building initiatives at the national level and to promote partnerships in the fields of Energy and Environment.

Within the framework of its Energy and its Environment Programs, IEPF’s actions are subdivided into four priority areas:

• Technical and administrative training for executives and professionals working in IEPF’s two fields of expertise. In general, IEPF organizes short high level seminars and workshops.
• Specialized information and communication products. A number of different types of publications are produced: bulletins and newsletters, a journal – Liaison Énergie-Francophonie and specialized books. IEPF also has an Internet site at the following address: (http://www.iepf.org)
• Field projects which are designed as pilot demonstrations and as ways to facilitate the appropriation of adequat technology and tools for sustainable development.
• Promoting partnerships, using an approach that brings into play all the potential partners by mobilizing Francophone institutions and experts, by networking and by supporting co-participation of all stakeholders. IEPF maintains close links and collaborates with all the major international organizations involved in sustainable development issues.

ENERGY PROGRAM

The Energy program is built around several priority action areas, two main activities and several expert groups.

Priority action areas for Member States from the South

• Traditional sources of energy – with a particular focus on fire wood which many rural populations depend on for cooking, heating and handicraft.
• Renewable sources of energy – the program specifically targets micro-hydroelectricity projects, solar energy, wind energy and bio-gas.
• Rural electrification – with a special focus on decentralized systems (D.R.E.)
• Energy efficiency – IEPF has an international program on energy management and related topics (PRISME).
• Support for energy policy analysis and implementation of national energy policies.

Two Main Activities

Energy Sector Management – articulated around two main themes:

• Enhancing national capacities to develop and implement energy policies, with a special emphasis on institutional changes in the traditional energy sector.
   
• Supporting the creation and implementation of structures and instruments that promote wise and rational use of energy.

Technological Development – two broad objectives are pursued:

• Increasing awareness and knowledge of the different available sources of energy through professional training courses and producing and making available publications on appropriate technologies.
   
• Enhancing and promoting a sense of "ownership" of the technology by involving both local stakeholders and centers of expertise in the design and implementation of pilot demonstration projects.

Expert Groups

Expert groups play a pivotal role in IEPF’s Energy program by helping the Institute sharpen and focus its strategy, expanding IEPF’s actions in the field and providing energy related baseline information and data for all Member States.

PRISME (Programme International de Soutien à la Maîtrise de l’Énergie), IEPF’s program on Energy Management Issues, promotes the efficient use of energy by Member States. The main objectives of the program are to: Heighten stakeholders and decision makers awareness and knowledge of energy management issues by making all relevant information available. Reinforce national capacities to develop and implement energy management policies, to develop projects and to mobilize funds at both the national and international levels. Promote the emergence of regulatory and legal frameworks to enhance energy management Set up and manage an information network clearing house – using state of the art information technology – to ensure that the experience and knowledge gained can be widely shared PRISME operates in most Member States and is structured so that each country has a national body placed under the authority of the Minister in charge of energy issues and made up of local stakeholders involved in energy management

ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM

The program is subdivided into two priority action areas:

• Institutional Policies and Frameworks – sustainable development needs certain conditions in order to become reality. Thus efforts will have to be made to change economic policies and regulatory frameworks in order to adapt them to a new social and economic context. Specific objectives in this area are:
  • Support local capacities that integrate environmental factors into social and economic policy at the national level. Within this framework, IEPF also works to help countries harness adequat planning and implementation methodologies for sustainable development.
  • Develop the required knowledge and expertise in Francophone countries to face the environmental challenges of tomorrow’s world, identify areas of substantial agreement and to ensure a proactive contribution of the Francophone countries to the international debate on sustainable development.
     
• Natural Resource Management – priority actions are aimed at supporting Member States’ efforts to manage ecosystems and biological resources in a sustainable manner, this includes :
  • supporting the development of action plans encompassing the scientific, technical, social and economic issues that are important in desertification processes, water resources, biodiversity and forests;
  • promoting capacity building in projects formulation, financial resources mobilization and access to the appropriate technology.

In order to fulfil its objectives, IEPF organizes specialized training seminars and workshops, makes available and edits information for professionals working in the relevant fields and finally mobilizes Francophone expertise in these areas.

IEPF was founded in 1988 by the general Conference of the ACCT following the decisions made at the first two Sommets des chefs d’État et de gouvernement des pays ayant en commun l’usage du Français.

IEPF is based in Quebec City.

The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie is an international organization, spanning five continents, with 53 State and Government Members and 10 Observers who share French as a common language, representing more than one fourth of United Nations State Members.

At the beginning called "Agence de coopération culturelle et technique (ACCT)", the organization was founded in Niamey (Niger), in March 20th 1970.

The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie is actively involved in multilateral co-operation in many different fields, including: education and training, culture and multimedia, legal and judicial co-operation, economic development and solidarity, energy and the environment.

OIF head quarters are based in Paris.

Secrétariat général
28, rue de Bourgogne
75007 Paris (France)
Telephone : (33) 1 44 11 12 50
Fax : (33) 1 44 11 12 87
Email : oif@francophonie.org
www.francophonie.org


Administration et coopération
13, quai André-Citroën
75015 Paris (France)
Telephone : (33) 1 44 37 33 00
Fax : (33) 1 45 79 14 98
Email : com@francophonie.org