Successful start of Energy Week in Panama, summit of authorities and leaders of the energy sector in Latin America

Panama – December 12, 2022.- The Latin American Energy Organization (OLACDE), the National Energy Secretariat of Panama and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), with the collaboration of EnergyNet, inaugurated today Monday the Energy Week in Panama City, with the participation of more than 20 delegations from OLACDE member countries and the presence of hundreds of speakers and professionals from different public and private fields and regional organizations.   “Like all countries, and all regions of the world, we have challenges, challenges, weaknesses; however, it is time to also share strengths, to share opportunities. This Energy Week is demonstrating that we can raise our voice and share great lessons learned to other regions,” said Panama’s Energy Secretary Jorge Rivera Staff. Rivera Staff highlighted Panama’s role as host of these conferences together with the promotion of the National Energy Transition Agenda, “completely aligned with these elements: decarbonization, decentralization, digitalization of the energy sector in general, with a renewable matrix of over 80% of our national electricity generation, with increasingly renewable components; but always maintaining the structural objectives of energy policy, such as security, economic affordability, access to all citizens and, of course, the elements of sustainability”. During the opening ceremony, OLACDE’s executive secretary, Alfonso Blanco, highlighted Panama’s positioning in the region and the world. “The energy sector in this country is an example to follow in our region. Panama has achieved, for example, to be one of the first 20 countries in the world to exceed 70% renewable electricity generation. And it has set out to be carbon negative; it has developed inclusive sectoral policies based on dialogue, and has integrated a profound gender approach into its public policy. Panama is blazing a trail in the energy transitions in Latin America and the Caribbean, which is why we are pleased to be here,” he said. He added: “We are driven by the vision of building the energy sector in Latin America and the Caribbean and seeking ways to ensure the development of our region and improve the living conditions of our people”. “Today we are also called to regional integration, and we are motivated to develop a joint position as a region showing the great opportunities that exist in Latin America and the Caribbean in the energy sector and promoting the development of an inclusive and fair energy sector aimed at decarbonizing regional economies,” he concluded. Meanwhile, the representative of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) in Panama, Rocio Medina Bolivar, said that “the energy transition is still under construction and long-term work that we hope to continue accompanying in the coming years. Panama and the region are moving forward on these key issues, “which involve rethinking how our energy sector must evolve to meet the commitments of the Paris Agreement and at the same time achieve universal access to modern energy, with an energy matrix that is safe, reliable and affordable”. Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 13, the second day of Energy Week kicks off with topics ranging from energy transitions and renewables to offshore wind project implementation.HERE YOU CAN ACCESS THE FULL AGENDA: https://semanadelaenergia.OLACDE.org/  

• ABOUT THE ENERGY WEEK

The VII Energy Week will bring together authorities and leaders of the energy sector in Latin America and the Caribbean from December 12 to 16 to share their views on the most relevant issues of the new agenda for the sector. They will focus on issues such as energy security, renewable energies, energy transitions, the region’s opportunities in the current context of international crisis and the development of new industries such as green hydrogen. This is the main event of the energy sector at regional level, organized by OLACDE. It is confirmed: – The participation of more than 20 delegations from OLACDE member countries, made up of leading authorities from energy ministries and secretariats. – The presence of 120 speakers among authorities, representatives of international agencies and organizations, multilateral banks, and public and private companies. – The realization of 19 dialogue roundtables – The attendance of more than 400 professionals from the regional energy sector.