Opportunities from ASEAN Energy Forum

On the sideline of the 28th ASEAN Energy Ministers Meeting, on July 20th, ASEAN Energy Forum officially opened in Da Lat – Lam Dong.

About 200 representatives including representatives of nations, organizations and enterprises of ASEAN countries engaged in energy have participated in the conference. Mr Nguyen Manh Hung, Director of ASEAN Center for Energy, chaired the Forum.

“This year, the Forum will focus on climate change; the Forum is an opportunity for parties to discuss and come to energy development solutions which are appropriate for each country in the region”, said Mr. Hung.

With the topic “Energy and climate change”, the Energy Forum 2010 will discuss many important issues relating to global climate change and the impact on energy development; Climate change effects on energy development; Orientation for energy development program; Opportunities to invest in energy development in Vietnam; Energy sources development project in the context of financial crisis, etc.

At the Forum, representatives of South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore and Indonesia discuss issues related to energy and climate change.

This year, the Forum gives us opportunities to to respond appropriately and consistently to the initiatives presented at meetings in the framework of the Conference AMEM 28.

These meetings present different options and solutions, but they all aim to a more appropriate mechanism to develop energy.

Mr Cao Quoc Hung, director of Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Department of International Cooperation, hoped that “it will be possible to gather all solutions to solve energy problems not only of Vietnam but also of all ASEAN countries”.

ASEAN Energy Forum is also expected to propose solutions to deal with effects of climate change. The Forum is hoped to deliver best practical experiences of experts in this sector. It will last until the end of July 23th.

ASEAN Center for Energy is an independent agency which was established based on the agreement of 10 ASEAN countries. Vietnam officially joined this organization in 2000.

SOME – US Conference with energy officials of Russia and the US

In the afternoon of July 20th, the Senior Officials Meeting on Energy in Southeast Asia (SOME - US), with 28 energy officials of Russia and the US, took place.

Mr Pham Thanh Tung, deputy director of Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Department of International Cooperation, said: “This is the first time the Senior Officials Meeting on Energy in Southeast Asia (SOME - US), with 28 energy officials of Russia and the US, has been held”.

At the meeting, senior energy officials of Southeast Asia and representatives of Russia Federation discussed about the cooperation between Russia and ASEAN in energy in the coming time.

Cooperation in energy is also the issue that senior energy officials of ASEAN continued to put in the agenda with senior energy officials of the US.

Mr Cao Quoc Hung, director of Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Department of International Cooperation, and mr Thomas Cutler, director of the US Department of Energy, Office in charge of Europe and Asia – Pacific, co-chaired the Senior Officials Meeting on Energy in Southeast Asia with the U.S.

Mr Tung said: “The US and ASEAN discussed about cooperation plan in energy between ASEAN countries and the US, starting with the conference on standard labeling to evaluate the energy efficiency and conservation, aiming to a cleaner ASEAN energy sector”.

The meeting agreed on the establishment and development of long term cooperation in energy between ASEAN and the US in the future.

By Trinh Tieu