By Our Correspondent

PURA women staff have joined nearly 4,000 women from various regions in the country to participate in the Clean Cooking Women's Conference organized by the Ministry of Energy.

The conference took place March 9, 2024, at the Jakaya Kikwete Convention Center in Dodoma with the aim of promoting the use of clean energy and distributing equipment for this energy to entrepreneurs.

These celebrations are part of the International Women's Week celebrations, culminating on March 8 each year.

Speaking via phone during the conference, Her Excellency President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan said that the agenda for clean cooking energy is not only Tanzania's agenda but also that of Africa and the world at large.

Dr. Samia said the government will continue to make efforts to increase access to clean energy in the country, including seeking financial resources from various national and international stakeholders to ensure clean cooking energy reaches all parts of the country, especially rural areas.

Speaking during the conference, the Vice President Dr. Philip Mpango, who was the guest of honor, called on the private sector to invest in innovative, affordable clean cooking energy technologies, research, and education and awareness campaigns on the use of clean cooking energy.

"I urge the private sector to use their corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs to support the government's efforts to achieve the goal of enabling 80% of clean cooking energy usage by 2033.

For his part the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, Dr. Doto Biteko, called on women to be part of the success of clean cooking energy as they are the main victims, thus they have a responsibility to carry this agenda forward.

Likewise, he called on men to take responsibility and support women in their households to cook using clean energy.