On 4 November 2017 the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will host the ACD Workshop on Energy under the theme “ACD Energy Action Plan: Towards Global Energy Challenges” at Shangri-la Hotel, Bangkok. The workshop is an extension of the 7th Asian Ministerial Energy Roundtable (AMER), during 1 – 3 November 2017 organized by the Ministry of Energy of Thailand.

 

To date, two meetings under the energy pillar were held in Abu Dhabi, the UAE and the Philippines in January 2017 and August 2017 respectively. Both the AMER7 and the ACD Workshop will be the first energy-related events hosted by Thailand since its announcement to become the latest Co-Prime Mover on Energy under the Interrelation of Food, Water, and Energy Security Pillar in New York. This also reflects the ACD’s effort to interact with international institutions and cooperation frameworks including the AMER platform.

 

The ACD Workshop on Energy’s objective is to provide a platform for energy experts among members to exchange experiences, share best practices as well as to formulate recommendations to the ACD Action Plan on Energy. The result of which will also contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 7, “Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all”, and the Paris Agreement, to which Thailand is Party.

 

The ACD Workshop will discuss various important topics inter alia “Asian Energy Connectivity” by the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia, “Sustainable Development Goal 7” by UNESCAP, “What can the Belt & Road Initiative Contribute to Facing ACD Energy Challenge” by a representative from the China Electric Power Planning and Engineer Institute, “Thailand’s Energy Strategic Directions towards the Global Energy Transition” by the Ministry of Energy of Thailand, and “ACD Energy Action Plan: Towards Global Energy Challenges” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand.

 

Currently, more than 50 high-level representatives from 34 ACD Member States will attend the workshop. These include Bahrain, China, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Viet Nam, as well as representatives from International Organizations such as ERIA and IEF and from relevant Thai agencies will also participate in the Workshop.