IEA calls for strategic long-term planning

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has published a review of energy policies in 11 countries of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia that play a significant role in world energy security. Four of the countries – Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan – possess substantial oil and gas resources in the Caspian Sea, which offer game-changing potential for energy consumers in Europe and Asia. Other countries like Ukraine, Georgia and Belarus are important transit countries in the region, and their stability is paramount to energy security, the report said.

The 11 countries – which also include Armenia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan – are diverse politically and economically with distinct energy sector challenges. However, lack of long-term vision and planning is common across the region, and the countries must prioritise strategic energy policy development in order to build a more secure and sustainable future.

‘Isolation and rigid thinking are not in the region’s long-term best interest. The key ingredients for a sustainable energy sector in all of these countries are cooperation and evidence-based strategic planning,’ said IEA Executive Director Maria van der Hoeven.

Officials with the European Union, which provided financial assistance for the report, said adopting and implementing the report’s recommendations would enhance energy security across a wide region.

Visit www.iea.org for more information