Laos’ Ministry of Energy and Mines, with technical assistance from the Economic Research Institute for Asean and East Asia (Eria), plans to formulate a white paper on policy involving cross-cutting issues to address the complexities of energy security in Laos and the implications for Asean countries.
Representatives from the government, businesses, and the energy and mines sector in Laos, together with delegations from Asean countries, met in Lao capital Vientiane from Thursday to Friday, to discuss the content of the white paper.
The paper will set the direction of energy security policy to achieve inclusive and sustainable development in Laos and address the implications for Asean, Lao national TV reported on Friday.
During the meeting, experts from Laos and other Asean countries discussed various topics related to the energy landscape in Laos and Asean, as well as energy supply security for Laos and the implications for Asean.
Although Laos exports electricity to neighbouring countries, the country is highly dependent on imports, especially gasoline and diesel for transportation, and commercial and residential consumption, Lao Minister of Energy and Mines Phoxay Sayasone said.
The increase in the import dependency of finished fuel products in Laos means the country’s energy supply security is vulnerable, so effective emergency responses and preparedness at the national level should be in place, he added. — Xinhua
