OSCE supports regional conference in Tajikistan on best practices in energy co-operation

DUSHANBE, 17 June 2014 – The OSCE Office in Tajikistan and the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources organized today a regional conference on best practices in energy co-operation, with the support of the Office of the Co-ordinator of OSCE Economic and Environmental Activities (OCEEA) and the Association of Power Engineers of Tajikistan.

Participants shared experiences, best practices and lessons learnt from Central Asian countries on how to improve regional and international co-operation in the energy sector. The conference also served as a platform for exploring possibilities for the establishment of an Energy Diplomacy Centre in Dushanbe in 2015 under the auspices of the Government of Tajikistan and supported by the OSCE Office.

“Energy represents a great opportunity for improving regional co-operation, confidence, stability and sustainable development,” said Ambassador Markus Mueller, the Head of the OSCE Office in Tajikistan. “The OSCE is ready to support Central Asian countries in making the most of this opportunity.”

Some 130 participants from key ministries, agencies, civil society and international organizations attended the conference, including officials and experts from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.