The AFUR was officially launched in November 2002 in Pretoria, South Africa. The activities of the AFUR concentrated on the regulation of energy, communications, transport, water and sanitation, including cross-sectoral issues (but not necessarily limited to priority sectors). The mission of the AFUR is to promote an effective regulatory system which would facilitate the development of infrastructure services in Africa. The objectives of the AFUR designed to facilitate the sharing of information, lessons and experience, harmonization of regulatory frameworks and to support capacity-building efforts.
The AFUR was officially launched in November 2002 in Pretoria, South Africa. The activities of the AFUR concentrated on the regulation of energy, communications, transport, water and sanitation, including cross-sectoral issues (but not necessarily limited to priority sectors). The mission of the AFUR is to promote an effective regulatory system which would facilitate the development of infrastructure services in Africa. The objectives of the AFUR designed to facilitate the sharing of information, lessons and experience, harmonization of regulatory frameworks and to support capacity-building efforts.
To this end, AFUR is determined to stay in touch with the most innovating ideas, and to offer its members and other stakeholders with the knowledge edge in the regulation of infrastructure. As the world is the midpoint between the Declaration of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2000 and the target date to 2015, when the MDGs should be achieved, the AFUR was chosen for its 6th Conference and Annual General Assembly scheduled for 20 to 24 April 2009 in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, a very timely topic,namely «A regulation for the poor: meeting the MDGs in terms of infrastructure services in Africa»».

AFUR ORGANS

The four organs of AFUR comprise the following :

1. The General Assembly, is the highest decision making authority of AFUR and is composed of all the Members of AFUR.
2. The Executive Committee, is responsible for the conduct of the affairs of AFUR and consists of the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson and a maximum of eight other Members elected by the General Assembly. The 3rd AGA that was held on 17 March 2006 in Windhoek,Namibia reaffirmed the commitment of AFUR to uphold the AU principle of equal regional representation and resolved to fill all positions on the Executive Committee from sub-Saharan Africa given the none participation of regulators from North Africa. In the activities of AFUR as yet. Whilst in the event that members from North Africa join AFUR during the mandate of the current Executive Committee, two will be invited into the Executive Committee as observers.
   The current members of the Executive Committee ar :
   • National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), South Africa (Chair)
   • Electricity Sector Regulatory Agency (ARSEL), Cameroon (Deputy Chair)
   • National Electricity Regulatory Authority (ANARE), Ivory Coast
   • Public Utility Regulatory Commission (PURC), Ghana
   • The Mali Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (CREE), Mali, Electricity Regulatory Board (ERB), Kenya
   • Electricity Control Board (ECB), Namibia,
   • Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), South Africa
   • Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA), Uganda
   • National Water Supply and Sanitation Council (NWASCO), Zambia
   • Electricity and Gas Regulation Commission (CREG), Algeria (Observer status)
3. Sectoral Committees have been created by the General Assembly to focus on specific aspects of regulation, e.g. tariff setting methodologies, transparency in decisionmaking,etc. The Sectoral Committees are composed of designated individuals from AFUR members within the specific sectors(energy, water, communications and lateron transport). The Sectoral Committeesevolved to advance the sustainability of the association and increase its value for all members by creating tangible products such as issue papers, case studies, reports, draft guidelines and undertake various research and training initiatives. At the 3rd AGA in March 2006 the Sectoral Committees were formally incorporated into the structures of AFUR through a constitutional amendment.
   The current Sectoral Committees are :
   • the Energy Sectoral Committee ;
   • the Water and Sanitation Sectoral Committee ;
   • the Communications Sectoral Committee.
4. The Secretariat is responsible for the day to day activities of AFUR. It consists of the Executive Secretary as Head of Secretariat and other staff as determined by the Executive Committee. The Secretariat is nonrotational and is located in Pretoria, South Africa. It is currently hosted by the Chair of AFUR, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA).

LES MEMBERS

Following the rationalisation of membership approved by the Executive Committee in December 2006, AFUR has 30 members. 8 regulatory organisations are classified as observers.

Funding

The financial resources of AFUR consist of :
1. Annual subscriptions by Members
2. Special contributions by Members
3. Sponsorships
4. Conference registration fees and
5. other sources such as grants.

MISSION STATEMENT

The tasks of the ANARE may, in accordance with its purpose, grouped into four categories :

• Monitoring compliance with laws and good enforcement of agreements by the operators
• The protection of the interests of consumers of electricity
• The settlement of disputes arising between operators or between them and the consumers or the state
• Advice and assistance to state and private operators, on any matter of the electricity sector.

As part of its mission to protect the interests of consumers of electricity, ANARE is a duty to inform and educate consumers of electricity on their rights and obligations.

RIGHTS OF CONSUMERS OF ELECTRICITY

• If you are an owner or tenant of a house, you have the right to obtain a subscription to the ICE ;
• When signing your subscription contract, the ICE must give you a document on your rights and obligations;
• You have the right to refuse to pay the outstanding bills left by those who occupied the room before you;
• ou have the right to terminate your subscription at any time in writing to the ICE. You must send this letter in September (7) days before, if you have a subscription of low voltage, or one (1) month before, if you have a subscription to high or medium voltage;
• You have the right to obtain compensation for damages caused to you as a subscriber;
• You have the right to permanently benefit of electric power made available by the ICE, as long as you pay your bills in full within the time specified on the invoice;
• You have the right to be informed by the ICE to any interruption or suspension of momentary or prolonged power for work on the network. The dates and times of service interruption shall be notified in advance, except in emergencies;
• You have the right to request at any time checking your meter by the ICE, if you notice any anomalies. If the audit you are right, the ICE will bear the costs of verification.

OBLIGATIONS OF ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION

You mus :

1. Paying your electricity bill respecting the deadline specified by the CIE ;
2. Paying a penalty of 10% in case of non compliance with the deadline set by the ICE ;
3. o carry out the electrical circuit of your home in compliance with technical safety regulations (see SECUREL) ;
4. Allow the ICE control the electrical circuit of your home when you request ;
5. Paying for the ICE control expenses, when shown to disrupt the electrical network;
6. Paying for the ICE control costs, when you requested a check of your meter and check that this gives you wrong;
7. Deny fraudulent connections from your electrical installations;
8. Avoid changing the settings on your circuit breaker without the ICE.

EXAMPLES OF ACQUIRED THE BENEFIT OF ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION

10% Penalty The ANARE and ICE agreed that the penalty of 10% applies only on the balance of the bill was not paid after the deadline for payment. Outstanding subscriber consumption of the previous The ANARE obtained the ICE cessation of the practice of demanding a new subscriber payment arrears of the previous subscriber consumption. Suspension of the provision of electricity to unpaid: The ANARE obtained the ICE stop suspend the provision of electricity to a customer for unpaid the eve of weekends and holidays

HOME POINT OF ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION (PACEL)

The PACEL aims to :

1. Collect the concerns and complaints from consumers of electricity.
2. Inform consumers of electricity on their rights and obligations
3. Bringing more ANARE electricity consumers

Three opportunities to join the PACEL :

1. Mail to Director General of the ANARE at the following address: 16 BP 1106 Abidjan 16
2. Going to PACELLA in the Hall of EECI Building, Abidjan Plateau, Avenue Houdaille 9.
3. Contacts include: Telephone : (225) 20 20 63 18 (225) 20 20 62 12 Toll free (225) 800 800 02 (free call) Email : recours@anare.ci

CONTACT ANARE

ead office: Immeuble EECI, Côte d'Ivoire - Abidjan - Plateau 9, avenue Houdaille
not far from Place de la Republic
16 BP 1106 Abidjan 06 Tél. : (+225) 20 20 60 10 Fax : (+225) 20 20 62 71
Email : info@anare.ci WEB SITE www.anare.ci

After Ghana in 2008, Côte d’Ivoire will be hosting the 6th AFUR Annual Conference and General Assembly from the 20 - 24 April 2009. Nested in West Africa, the Republic of Côte d’Ivoire covers a surface area of 322,462 km² and is bound to the north by Mali and Burkina Faso, to the east by Ghana and to the west by Guinea and Liberia. Its coastline in the south borders the Atlantic Ocean on a stretch of 550 km.

Le relief

The terrain can be divided into three main groups:

1. plains that stretch to the south of the country and rise gradually towards the interior, lined by a rocky and indented coast in the west and a lagoon to the east (alluvial coast)
2. plateaus to the north crossed by valleys
3. a massif in the west where Mount Nimba rises (1,752 m). There are three types of vegetation: equatorial-type forest (luxuriant vegetation, wide variety of trees, giant trees) which occupy 2/5 of the country in the east; the savannah in the north (initially covered with trees then increasingly grassy);and the coast that is covered by an alluvial bay barrier where coconut, banana, oil palm and rubber trees flourish. Four major rivers flow through the country namely Cavally, Sassandra, Bandama and Comoe.

Climate

Côte d’Ivoire can be divided into two climatic zones. The south has an equatorial climate characterized by an almost constant temperature throughout the year (between 27 and 32°C in Abidjan) and a high degree of rainfall varying between 65 and 90%. Although the south has regular rainfall, four seasons can still be identified :

1. Long dry season from December to April
2. Long rainy season from May to July
3. Short dry season between August and September
4. Short rainy season between October and November .

The official language in Côte d’Ivoire is French.

Time Zone

Côte d’Ivoire is on the Greenwich Mean Time.

The Conference venue

The 6th AFUR Annual Conference and General Assembly shall be held at the Complexe CRRAE-UMOA, located in Plateau, Abidjan’s business centre.
The Complexe CRRAE-UMOA offers all the technical facilities of a modern conference centre as well as many other advantages particularly proximity to hotels, banks, restaurants and entertainment places.
The Local Organizing Committee (LOC) and the AFUR Secretariat will provide administrative and technical assistance to participants with regards to conference rooms and plenary sessions.

Participation

Conference Registration
Registration for the Conference will take place at the at the Conference venue, Complexe CRRAE-UMOA as follows
Registration Times :

1. Saturday 18 April 2009 - 14.00 - 18.30 hours
2. Sunday 19 April 2009 - 10.00 - 18.30 hours
3. Monday 20 April 2009 - 07.30 - 09.00 hours

Delegates should please note

1. Please refer to the registration form which contains all the contact details of the accommodation establishments.
2. Booking of accommodation is the responsibility of the delegate but the EMC is willing to assist with any inquiries.
3. Please quote the conference reference (AFUR 2009) to qualify for the special conference rate.
4. Please confirm with the conference organiser the booking details to ensure your transport from the Félix Houphouët Boigny International Airport on arrival.
5. Payment should be done directly to the hotel on date of arrival.

Check-In, Check-out and Payment
The Conference Coordinators will be available to assist in all check-in formalities at the various hotels. Check-out time is 11.00 hours. Delegates are advised to:

1. request and confirm late check out with reception to avoid extra charge.
2. request copy of their bills at least twelve hours before departure for cross checking and rectifying any potential billing error.

Visa requirements for entering Côte d’Ivoire
Entry into the country is free for ECOWAS citizens upon presentation of their national identity card or passport. Non-ECOWAS citizens can obtain entry visas at embassies and diplomatic missions in their respective countries.
For delegates coming from countries where Côte d’Ivoire has no diplomatic representation, please do forward the following documents at least 2 weeks before your due arrival date for visa issuance upon arrival:

1. Copy of the first 4 pages of a valid passport
2. Your invitation letter to the event
3. Visa fees (ranging from USD 70 – 100)
4. The duration of your stay

Name Badges
Name badges will be issued at registration. We request that these are worn at all conference proceedings and social functions.
Languages
The official languages for the meetings are English and French. Delegates to the Conference & General Assembly are advised that translators in conference interpreters will be made available throughout the meetings.
Conference Secretariat
Throughout the duration of the Conference there will be a Secretariat set up to specifically cater to the coordination and management of materials for the Conference & General Assembly. Information will be made available to the delegates through the Secretariat as and when required. It shall be opened from 07.30 to 19.30 hours.
Business Center
Business Centres are available at the various hotels and the opening and closing times depend on each hotel. Kindly be advised that this service is on offer to all our delegates at a cost and should be used at each delegates own discretion.
Services offered :

1. Internet access
2. Photocopying
3. Bilingual typist
4. Scanner

General Help Desk & Notices
Assistance and general information is available at the Information desk that will be situated in the respective hotel reception/lounge areas. Messages and daily notices will also be displayed on the notice boards at registration. The Event Management teams will be readily available to assist with any enquiries or to give out information.
Power voltage
The voltage used in Côte d’Ivoire is 220 volts. Participants are kindly advised to bring along stabilizers to protect their delicate equipment (laptops, etc.)
Catering
Breakfast: Included in your daily hotel rate Lunch: Buffet will be provided as part of the conference package Dinner: Dinner is for your own account except where an event has been organized by the Conference. Delegates are welcome to eat at the hotel, and information on alternative restaurants in the area will be provided at the information desk. Coffee/Tea breaks: There will be a half hour tea break every day in the morning at 10.00 hours and in the afternoon at 15.00 hours.
Security
General security arrangements at the conference will cover persons and property.

contacts

General Health Information

Vaccinations:
A valid international health certificate showing proof of yellow fever vaccination within the past ten years is required. Vaccination against Hepatitis A and B is recommended
Precautions:
It is strongly advised that you consult with your medical doctor for anti malaria medication during the period you are in Côte d’Ivoire.
Drinking water:
Hotel drinking water is safe. However, delegates may wish to drink bottled
Smoking:
Smoking is NOT permitted inside the meeting venues but in the designated areas only. The Health Committee of the Local Organizing Committee will carter for participants’ health and monitor hygiene. Towards this, a health centre will be set up at the Complexe CRRAE-UMOA and there will be stand-by duty during working hour where participants can consult free of charge. Please call these structures to get more information on their rates.

Transportation Arrangements

Airport transfers Complementary airport transfers will be provided for delegates from Félix Houphouët Boigny International Airport from the 18th until the 26th of April 2009. In the mean time delegates are advised to return their registration forms duly completed to organizers. They are also advised to reconfirm all their return flights not less than 48 hours before departure. Shuttles Shuttles will also be available from hotels to the conference centre and back and all related events.
Car Rentals & Hire
One of the best ways to tour a country is to travel by road. For the delegates who may wish to do so, car rentals and hire services are available in Abidjan. The following companies offer reliable car hire services at the rates detailed:


Delegates are advised to make reservations directly with the car rental and copy K-Gest International email: kgestinter@gmail.com on all correspondence for a record of their travel programme.

Public transport
You can use either buses (Société de Transport Abidjannaise) or meter-equipped taxis to trip round Abidjan. Delegates are also advised to approach the EMC for any trip around town other than the official ones.

Advertising the event

The event will be advertised through national and international media, press conferences and meetings with: government authorities, regulators of public utilities namely energy, communications, water and sanitation, development institutions, investors and international financial institutions.

Emergency numbers

Entertainment

Participants who wish to chill out may visit the above clubs. The helpdesk of the Local Organizing Committee can provide assistance for direction and transportation to these locations.

City and site tours

Abidjan lagoon plan: During guided tours on board the Agnéby, you will enjoy a sightseeing/lunch/dinner cruise and discover the Baie des milliardaires, the Boulay Island and other touristic sites.
Banco Forest: The flora and fauna of this place will enchant amateurs of eco-tourism. The CAVA: The visit to the Abidjan Craft Centre will afford the opportunity to discover the extent of the rich culture of Côte d’Ivoire
The District of Yamoussoukro: Located 248 km, about two and a half hour drive away from Abidjan you can discover many touristic sites like the Basilica of Notre Dame de la Paix, the Lac aux crocodiles, the residence of late President Félix Houphouët Boigny, the Foundation and the Maison des députés (House of Parliamentarians).

Recommended Restaurants

Currency and Foreign Exchange

The currency used in Côte d'Ivoire is the CFA Franc, which is a common currency used by UEMOA member States.
The performance of the CFA Franc against the Euro is fixed:
EURO 1 = CFAF 655.957unlikely the United States Dollar that has been fluctuating between CFAF 420 - 470 over the past months and depends on the exchange rate of the day.
There are many banks and bureaux de change near the Complex which participants are advised to use and the majority of hotels do offer Forex services. Most hotels, restaurants and supermarkets accept credit cards namely Visa, Master Card.Banks are generally open Monday to Friday from 08.00 to 15.00 hours and Saturdays from 08:00 to 13.00 hours.

Accommodation

We invite you to visit the Website of hotels recommended by the LOC and make your choice. Please feel free to contact the organizers to assist you with your bookings.