The workshop started with a short introduction by the Basque Energy Cluster presenting various activities carried out during the three-year project. RES4Africa then presented the initiatives of its foundation and explained how European companies can join its programmes to get established in African markets. Next, three European companies – R2M from Spain, SE Engineering Services for Energy from Italy and Energies SB from France – shared their experience taking part in missions organised by the ESECA project and how they took advantage of these opportunities to develop business relationships in Africa.

To finish the workshop, all speakers took part in a round table discussion on the challenges they faced when exploring new markets and the support received from the ESECA project clusters.

The following key tips can be taken away from this day:

• In order to enter an African market, it is essential to work with a local company to facilitate integration.
• Patience is key in order to understand the dynamics and of local companies and how they work. This process can take time, so it is advisable to hold meetings in person rather than online, and to schedule multiple visits to ensure a constant presence.
• African companies are currently feeling slightly reluctant to work with Asian suppliers: although their solutions may initially be more cost-effective, they often have issues with maintenance and after-sales support.