In collaboration with Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs Thailand, and Neighboring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA), Mekong Institute (MI) implemented an online international training program on “Affordable and Clean Energy Development” from May 9 to 20, 2022. The training program aims to promote good practices in creating enabling environment for affordable and clean energy development in the developing countries. A total of 22 government officials working on energy sector from Bhutan, Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Myanmar joined the program.  

Speaking at the training’s opening ceremony, Mr. Suriyan Vichitlekarn, Executive Director of MI, stressed the importance of developing regulatory framework and affordable technologies for energy transition for the resilient Post-Pandemic Recovery. Additionally, he reaffirmed MI’s commitment to bridge opportunities for clean energy promotion as a solution to the global trends of energy consumption alongside TICA and NEDA.

During the two weeks, the training covered discussions on various energy issues; Policy and Regulatory Framework, Technologies and Innovations, Energy Efficiency, and Energy Cooperation. Together with in-house resource persons, the training sessions were delivered by the experts from various public agencies, academic and research institutes and private firms. The representatives from ADB, ASEAN Center for Energy (ACE), China Southern Power Grid (CSG) and GIZ also shared their respective experiences and supports in clean energy development in the region. The training likewise employed Peer-to-Peer learning model to enable methodological exchanges of experiences among the participants.

It is hoped that the participants would share the good practices in their respective countries which would contribute to the Global Agenda for Accelerated SDG.7 Actions: Ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.