The Honourable Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Mohamad Azmi bin Haji Mohd Hanifah, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office (Energy, Upstream and Downstream) attended the 16th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Energy Ministerial Meeting (APEC EMM) from 10 to 11 September 2026 in Beijing, People’s Republic of China.
Hosted by the National Energy Administration of the People’s Republic of China, the meeting carried the theme “Forge an Innovative and Synergistic Asia-Pacific Energy Community for All”, and featured three thematic sessions – “Energy for All”, “AI + Energy” and “Synergistic Cooperation”.
In his remarks during the Opening Session of the 16th APEC EMM, the Honourable Minister highlighted Brunei Darussalam’s priorities in strengthening energy security, sustaining the upstream oil and gas sector, developing high-value downstream industries, ensuring secure and reliable electricity and fuel supplies, and accelerating low-carbon energy development as a driver of future economic growth. He also emphasised the importance of a balanced and diversified energy mix and stronger regional cooperation to support a secure, resilient and sustainable energy future for the Asia-Pacific.
The Honourable Minister further shared his views during Thematic Session 1: “Energy for All”, where he underscored the importance of ensuring energy security, affordability, reliability and resilience, while expanding access to all segments of society. He highlighted Brunei Darussalam’s almost 100 percent electrification rate and the importance of continued innovation, infrastructure development and regional cooperation to build sustainable energy systems.
The 16th APEC EMM also released a Joint Ministerial Statement which, among others, reaffirmed the commitment to build an open, dynamic and resilient Asia-Pacific energy community, emphasising the importance of regional cooperation to enhance energy security, accelerate renewable energy development, and foster innovative energy technologies. The Statement also emphasised the need for continued collaboration to ensure reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for all in the region.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the Honourable Minister also held several bilateral discussions with his counterparts from partner countries, including His Excellency Wang Hongzhi, Administrator of the National Energy Administration (NEA), People’s Republic of China and Chair of the 16th APEC EMM; as well as Her Excellency Gan Siow Huang, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and Trade & Industry of Singapore, exchanging views on shared priorities and exploring avenues to strengthen energy cooperation.
The meeting is part of the wider APEC regional cooperation architecture, in which energy is a key element of APEC’s agenda. APEC is a regional forum established in 1989 with the aim of promoting sustainable economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region through greater economic integration, technical cooperation, and free and open trade and investment.
The next APEC EMM will convene in the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam in 2027.
