Chief executive officer of Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA), Rose Nunu Seretse has been elected as Vice Chair of RERA. Member Regulators of the Regional Energy Regulators Association of Southern Africa (RERA) elected BERA as the Vice Chair of the Association during the Annual General Meeting (AGM) No. 17 held on 25 February 2022 in Swakopmund, Namibia.
“BERA will serve as the Vice Chair of RERA for a two-year term from 2022 to 2023. Mrs. Rose Nunu Seretse, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and designated representative of BERA on the RERA Executive Committee (ExCo) will assume the role of the Vice Chair of the Association,” a statement said.
BERA takes over this important leadership position at a pivotal time when the Association is preparing to be transformed into the SADC Regional Energy Regulatory Authority (SARERA). This follows the approval of the Framework and Roadmap for its transformation by the SADC Ministers responsible for Energy at a meeting held in Blantyre, Malawi on 02 December 2021.
“Seretse brings with her not just the impeccable leadership credentials but also a wealth of expertise across areas such as legal, governance and diplomacy. She will be an undoubted asset to the Association going forward, being one of the only three (3) female Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) among our fifteen (15) Energy Regulators in the SADC region,” Executive Director of RERA, Elijah C. Sichone said.
BERA, as the Vice-Chair – also considered as the future leader of the Association, will generally offer support to the RERA Chair and other leadership when needed. Specifically, BERA will tackle the following duties:
(i) Prepares to assume the office of the RERA Chair;
(ii) Fulfils the RERA Chair’s duties when the presiding officer is absent or if that
office becomes vacant;
(iii) Assists the RERA Chair in the execution of his or her duties;
(iv) Carries out certain special tasks as delegated by the Chairperson including
representing RERA at various international meetings and other events; and
(v) Works closely with the RERA Chair to transfer knowledge and history to
prepare for leadership.
RERA is a formal Association of Energy Regulators in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region. The SADC Ministers responsible for Energy established RERA, initially focusing on electricity regulation only, on 12 July 2002 at their meeting held in Maseru, Lesotho.
The Association was officially launched in Windhoek, Namibia on 26 September 2002. RERA’s mandate was expanded from electricity to energy regulation in 2019. RERA has its own Constitution stipulating the objectives, functions and other operational requirements. Membership to RERA is open to electricity/energy regulatory agencies in the Member States of the SADC Region.