The 13th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting Plus Three – People’s Republic of China, Japan, Republic of Korea – (AMEM+3) called for a multilateral commitment and cooperation, ensuring a stable energy supply and enhanced measures for energy security and climate change in the East Asia region.
The one-day meeting which was held under the umbrella of the 39th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting (AMEM) and its associated meetings, convened virtually on 16 September 2021 under Brunei’s chairmanship of Brunei Darussalam.
In his opening remarks, Minister of Energy Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Mat Suny Haji Md Hussein who is also the meeting chairman expressed his appreciation to Plus Three partners in supporting ASEAN’s various regional initiatives towards accelerating energy transition and strengthening energy resilience through greater innovation and cooperation under the seven programme areas of the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC), namely: 1) ASEAN Power Grid; 2) Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline; 3) Coal and Clean Coal Technology; 4) Energy Efficiency and Conservation; 5) Renewable Energy; 6) Regional Energy Policy and Planning; and 7) Civilian Nuclear Energy.
He also shared that East Asia remains one of the economic driving forces of the world in ensuring energy security and accelerating the region’s energy transition to a low-carbon energy transition agenda.
Energy Ministers of ASEAN and plus three partners have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen partnerships and innovation to better manage today and future energy challenges in the region. Cooperation has continued to be enhanced over the past year through various activities, such as capacity building programmes, joint research and publications, and demonstration projects.
The meeting deliberated and reported the activities under the AMEM+3 platform particularly in the areas of energy security, oil market and natural gas forum and business dialogue, renewable energy and energy efficiency and conservation, as well as clean energy roundtable dialogue.
The AMEM+3 annually brings together representatives from the 10 ASEAN Member States and the Plus 3. The meeting acts as a channel to review the accomplishment of cooperation programmes in the year before and it will also consider and adopt the proposed Work Programme of the SOME+3 Fora 2021 – 2022 and the 18th AMEM+3 Joint Ministerial Statement.
The meeting was co-chaired by China’s Vice Administrator of National Energy Administration Ren Jingdong; Japan’s State Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Ejima Kiyoshi; and South Korea’s Deputy Minister for Energy and Resources at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy Kyunsung Kang while Brunei was represented by Deputy Minister of Energy Dato Seri Paduka Haji Matsatejo Sokiaw, as head of delegation to the meeting.
THE BRUNEIAN | BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
