On 15 and 16 April 2009, SNV organised an African network meeting on domestic biogas in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Participants from 11 countries including Senegal, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Benin, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda and the Netherlands attended the meeting. The meeting was preceded on 14 April by an internal SNV East and Southern Africa, and SNV West and Central Africa knowledge network meeting on renewable energy/biogas.

In his opening address, the Director General disclosed that the Ethiopian Government is fully supporting the development of a commercial biogas sector in the country. About 100 units have been installed in the pilot phase, with the programme aiming to install 14,000 plants during its first phase in four regions. The welcome address was delivered by the SNV Corporate Network Sponsor for Renewable Energy, Mr. Jean de Matha Ouédraogo. He underpinned the link between (renewable) energy and poverty alleviation. The national programmes on domestic energy in various African countries benefit from the knowledge and experience gained in Asian countries.