WELCOME REMARKS BY MINISTER CHAN CHUN SING AT THE 36TH ASEAN MINISTERS ON ENERGY MEETING (AMEM) OFFICIAL DINNER ON MONDAY 29 OCT 2018, 7.30PM AT SANDS EXPO & CONVENTION CENTRE, MARINA BAY SANDS
Your Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. A very good evening to all of you. And to all our foreign guests who have just joined us, welcome to Singapore. We have had a full day of meetings, both among ASEAN Member States, and with our key Dialogue Partners and International Organisations.
Celebrate ASEAN’s Progress
2. Let me first take this opportunity to express my appreciation to our fellow ASEAN Member States, for the progress we have made towards bolstering ASEAN’s continued growth and ensuring affordable, sustainable and reliable energy access for our people:
a. With the Capacity Building Roadmap on Energy Investment and Financing for ASEAN, as well as the Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), we will help to facilitate more investments in ASEAN’s energy sector.
b. We will also be stepping up regional cooperation, to improve energy efficiency in our growing buildings sector and further enhance Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) cooperation and trade in ASEAN.
Dialogue Partners and International Organisations
3. This level of progress would not have been possible without the strong support of our Dialogue Partners and International Organisations. In particular,
a. We would like to thank Japan for your strong support in capacity building in energy efficiency and conservation, through the ASEAN-Japan Energy Efficiency Partnership (AJEEP) and the ASEAN-Japan Energy Efficiency Partnership (ECAP). Thank you very much Japan.
b. We would also like to thank China for their work in clean energy policy and technology, through the ASEAN+3 Clean Energy Roundtable Dialogue and East Asia Summit (EAS) Clean Energy Forum. Thank you very much China as well.
c. We look forward to the 3rd ASEAN-Korea Energy Safety Forum, which will be held this Wednesday at the Singapore International Energy Week.
d. We are also pleased to have organised the Workshop on Digitalisation and Energy together with the US in July this year. In addition, the US has been supporting ASEAN’s work on multilateral trade in electricity and natural gas. Thank you to Korea and the US as well.
e. Last but not least, we would like to thank Russia for their offer to organise training programmes in various areas, such as the power sector, oil and gas, as well as civilian nuclear energy for ASEAN. So thank you to Russia as well.
4. We look forward to continued collaboration with our Dialogue Partners and International Organisations, to shape a sustainable energy future for ASEAN. And on this note, I would like to thank and acknowledge the presence of International Energy Agency (IEA) and IRENA, who have taken time to join us for this conference this week. Thank you very much to the International Energy Agency and the International Renewable Energy Agency. Thank you very much.
ASEAN Energy Awards
5. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the individuals and organisations that have won this year’s ASEAN Energy Awards. Your hard work and dedication towards adopting innovative and best practices in the development and deployment of cleaner and more energy efficient technology have contributed to better energy systems throughout the region. We look forward to further opportunities to work with you and the rest of the industry in areas of energy investments, innovation and clean technology.
Conclusion
6. To conclude, I thank all of you for your support in Singapore’s Chairmanship year so far, and we look forward to meaningful and shared outcomes working together with you. Do enjoy the dinner and programme that we have prepared for you this evening.
7. Thank you.