Jerudong, Brunei Darussalam, 21 September 2011
The first gathering, since the adoption of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, of ASEAN Ministers responsible for energy successfully concluded in Jerudong yesterday. It included a series of events on policy discussion, regulatory options, and business opportunities, all of which are crucial to the realisation of the ASEAN Connectivity and of an ASEAN Community by 2015.
Hon. Pehin Dato (Dr) Mohammad Yasmin Umar, Minister of Energy of Brunei Darussalam who is Chairman of the 29th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (29th AMEM), said this is a golden opportunity for Ministers and Senior Officials from all ASEAN Member States, Dialogue Partners, international organisations, and the energy business community to join hands in accelerating the ASEAN energy connectivity.
Dr Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN, highlighted the importance of synergising the efforts of the energy sector, and harnessing the opportunities made available by external parties and business community in the implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity and other cross-sectoral initiatives, including the ASEAN Plus Three Comprehensive Strategy on Food Security and Bio-energy Development (APTCS-FSBD) and its Strategic Plan of Action on Food and Energy Security (SPA-FES).
“There is a need to boost infrastructural connectivity to open new market opportunities and boost overall energy security, as well as to expedite regional connectivity projects in the power, oil and gas sectors; to facilitate energy trade, investment and services; and to enhance cooperation with partners countries to promote robust East Asian energy connectivity,” said Hon. Pehin Dato (Dr) Mohammad Yasmin Umar.
One of the projections of the ASEAN Council on Petroleum (ASCOPE) is that ASEAN is expected to emerge as a net importing region in the next five years. As such, it is necessary to have a stronger cooperation amongst ASEAN Member States and its partnership with external parties to facilitate more oil and gas trading and marketing within the region. The two flagship energy connectivity projects of ASEAN – namely the ASEAN Power Grid (APG) and the Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline (TAGP) – are on a good track to help the region ensure a greater energy security of gas supply for the region. There are more opportunities, however, on the energy infrastructure projects, including infrastructure for Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) trading, and other cooperation modalities, such as extension of the TAGP Memorandum of Understanding, and development of a Gas Transit Principle Agreement in ASEAN.
ASEAN is actively discussing a common target for the region to work towards having a higher percentage of renewable energy sources and new energy technologies, such as cleaner coal technology, in the regional energy mix, including the projected targets until 2030. All these efforts are to ensure ASEAN’s continued resilience and growth in a sustainable manner to cope with the increasing energy challenges.
There is an urgent need for ASEAN region to respond to energy disruptions in oil supply through the release of emergency oil stocks to the markets. As such, ASEAN region is firmed to boost regional capacity and cooperation on reliable, affordable and clean energy, as well as contribute to the global dialogue on energy, providing authoritative and fair research, statistics, analysis and recommendations. In this connection, ASEAN agreed to study and revitalise ASEAN cooperation and develop a high-performing institution within the region to provide options and strategies in the building of a coherent, coordinated, focused, and robust energy agenda and strategy for ASEAN.
Ms Maria van de Hoeven, Executive Director of IEA, affirmed the readiness of IEA to support ASEAN in research and capacity building. Dr Surin Pitsuwan and Ms van de Hoeven signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Cooperation between ASEAN and IEA.
Dr Surin hailed the MOU as an important achievement, saying that the application of the MOU would create many opportunities for ASEAN and IEA to strengthen cooperation, and explore opportunities that IEA can assist ASEAN in the implementation of its energy objectives, goals and measures as set out in the ASEAN Plan of Action on Energy Cooperation (APAEC).
Outcomes and deliverables of several projects with Dialogue Partners and international organisations were presented, e.g. the Promotion on Energy Efficiency and Conservation (PROMEEC), certification of energy managers and energy end-users under the ASEAN Energy Manager Accreditation Scheme (AEMAS), the ASEAN Energy Awards, the ASEAN Renewable Energy Centre, ASEAN – Germany Renewable Energy Support Program for ASEAN (ASEAN-RESP), ASEAN+3 for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Nuclear Energy Cooperation program.
Participants were all ASEAN Member States and Dialogue Partners, i.e. Australia, China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia, and the United States, as well as international organisations such as the IEA, and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and global consulting firm McKinsey & Company.
There were also a series of business activities organised during the 29th AMEM Meeting, including the ASEAN Energy Business Forum, Ministers-CEOs Dialogue, and the Brunei Energy Expo (BEE2011).
