In September 1979, a group of African researchers met in Arusha, Tanzania under the auspices of the Commonwealth Science Council. The main objectives of the meeting were to share their experiences and to explore the feasibility of establishing a regional programme of research and development activities on renewable energy technologies and their application in Africa. The meeting, which identified seven projects to form the basis of collaborative research projects in the region, led to the formal institution of the African Energy Programme (AEP) by the Commonwealth Science Council (CSC).