The Workshop on “Technical Workshop on the Geologic Development and Geophysics of the Western Branch of the Greater East African Rift System with Emphasis on Factors that Control the Development of their Geothermal Systems” is planned for 9-11 March 2016 at Gisenyi, Rwanda to discuss the geologic setup and conditions that would support the development of geothermal systems in the countries of the western branch of East African Rift System (EARS) which include Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Tanzania, Malawi and Mozambique. The workshop that is sponsored by UNEP, ICEIDA/NDF, Energy Development Corporation Limited of Rwanda (EDCL) and EU will be held at Gisenyi in Rwanda.

Geothermal exploration in the western branch of EARS has so far not succeeded in discovering utilizable geothermal resources. Part of the reasons are that (i) the systems in the west are not (or not clearly) associated with a magmatic geologic conditions, (ii) the nature and characteristics of the systems are not fully understood, (iii) experiences and research methods for geothermal exploration used in the eastern branch of EARS have been inappropriately applied to systems in the western branch. It is therefore essential that a full understanding of the occurrences of the geothermal systems in the region, more so, this time when funding from support programmes and donor community are ready to fund projects in both eastern and western branches of the rift.

Expected Outcome

The Workshop

Scope

Expected Participants

• The main outcome of the workshop is expected to be the understanding that will be invested in the region’s geoscientists regarding the heterogeneous geologic conditions that determine the generation and storage of the region’s geothermal resources.

• The number of countries that are subscribed to African Rift Geothermal Development Facility (ARGeo) in terms of its two project components (i) Technical assistance for surface exploration studies, and (ii) Regional networking, information systems, capacity building, policy advice presently stands at 13. This number includes the six countries that were subscribed to it until recently (Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) and the seven others that have recently joined (Burundi, Comoros, Djibouti, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia). The ARGeo region encompasses the region of the EARS proper that include eastern, southern and western rift branches, and the Comoros volcanic islands of the Western Indian Ocean.

• • Geographic scope: The proposed workshop is aimed at satisfying a need that is felt in the part of the ARGeo region that comprises Burundi, DRC, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.
  • Geoscientific scope: The proposed workshop is intended to provide an understanding of the geologic processes and current state of the region that account for the creation and sustenance of its geothermal resources.
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• The workshop will be facilitated by international resource persons with wide experience in academic research as well as in the geothermal industry
  In addition, twenty two geoscientists will be sponsored by UNEP and ICEIDA/NDF to attend from the western branch countries (14) and eastern branch countries (8). Participation in the workshop is by invitation but there are limited opportunities for self- sponsored participants from Africa and worldwide to attend. No fee will be charged for all participants of the workshop; and so interested self-sponsored participants are kindly requested to contact the organizing committee as soon as possible to reserve a slot. It is expected that the workshop will be attended by a total of seventy (70) international geoscientists.