The Honourable Pehin Datu Lailaraja Major General (R) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Awang Halbi bin Haji Mohd Yussof, Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II, attended the 41st ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting and Its Associated Meetings (41st AMEM) held at Bali Nusa Dua Convention Centre, Bali, Republic of Indonesia, from 24th – 26th August 2023. His Honourable Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II was accompanied by Yang Mulia Pengiran Haji Jamra Weira bin Pengiran Haji Petra, Acting Permanent Secretary (Energy) as Brunei Darussalam’s Senior Official for Energy (SOE) Leader, and officials from the Department of Energy at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The 41st AMEM was officially opened and chaired by His Excellency Arifin Tasrif, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Republic of Indonesia. His Excellency Phosay Sayasone, Minister of Energy and Mines, Lao PDR, the incoming Chair of AMEM, co-chaired the meeting. The meeting discussed the progress of the seven (7) key programme areas implemented under the ASEAN Plan of Action for Energy Cooperation (APAEC) Phase II 2021 – 2025, including the ASEAN Power Grid, Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline, Coal and Clean Coal Technology, Energy Efficiency and Conservation, Renewable Energy, Regional Energy Policy and Planning, and Civilian Nuclear Energy.
With the theme “Sustainable Energy Security Through Interconnectivity”, the 41st AMEM underlined the importance of sustainable energy development through interconnectivity including enhancing international cooperation to expand energy infrastructure, recognizing energy interconnectivity and market integration in ASEAN as key enablers for ASEAN energy cooperation to address energy security challenges, and accelerating a just and inclusive energy transition in the region.
The Ministerial Meeting also saw the adoption of (i) the Joint Declaration of the 41st ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting on Sustainable Energy Security through Interconnectivity that acts as a basis in the development of cross-border energy infrastructure projects between the ASEAN Member States, including the new Multilateral Power Trading project under the ASEAN Power Grid and to enhance the connectivity and accessibility of gas and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) supplies for the region, and (ii) the Joint Statement of the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines Power Integration Project (BIMP-PIP).
Over the course of the two days 41st AMEM, a number of associated Ministerial Meetings were also conducted which includes the 20th AMEM Plus Three (20th AMEM+3), the 17th East Asia Summit Energy Ministerial Meeting (17th EAS EMM), the AMEM and The United States (AMEM-U.S.) Exchange and the 7th ASEAN Ministers on Energy Meeting – International Renewable Energy Agency Dialogue (7th AMEM – IRENA Dialogue). Other events organized were the 6th East Asia Energy Forum (6th EAEF) and the 2023 ASEAN Energy Business Forum (AEBF).
At the sidelines of the Meeting, The Honourable Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Defence II also had bilateral meetings with the other Heads of Delegation, including His Excellency Arifin Tasrif, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Republic of Indonesia and His Excellency Nik Nazmi bin Nik Ahmad, Minister of Natural Resources, Environment and Climate Change, Malaysia to exchange views on areas of common interest.
At the Gala Dinner held last evening, Ministerial delegates met bilaterally and established networking, followed by the 2023 ASEAN Energy Awards in recognition of best practices in energy efficiency and conservation, renewable energy, excellence in energy management, clean coal technologies, and youth awards.
