KUCHING: Senior energy officials from across Southeast Asia have gathered here for the 43rd Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Energy (SOME) and its Associated Meetings beginning today until Jun 18 at the Sheraton Hotel, here.
Hosted by the Ministry of Energy Transformation and Water Transformation (PETRA) as part of the country’s Asean chairmanship this year, the meetings bring together nearly 250 delegates, including representatives from all 10 Asean countries, namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, and Timor-Leste as an observer.
The high-level discussions focus on enhancing regional energy cooperation, with the Asean Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) at the core of the agenda.
Officials are reviewing progress on APAEC initiatives and preparing key decisions for the upcoming 43rd Asean Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) scheduled for October.
Delegates also include representatives from the Asean Secretariat, the Asean Centre for Energy (ACE), and Asean’s Dialogue Partners — China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Russian Federation, and the United States.
Several international organisations, including the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the World Bank, are participating as well.
