The Chairmanship of Turkmenistan in the Energy Charter Conference in 2017, will be based on fundamental international acts and will aim to further develop the interaction between all interested states and international organisations in the field of energy.
Wide and committed cooperation in the energy field is a key factor in the stable and onward march of world processes in the twenty-first century. The prospects of widening the international energy partnership, the principles, on the basis of which the modern architecture of the energy environment is created, its security and sustainability – all of this will largely define the general course of global development in the long term.
Currently, one of the main challenges facing the international community in the context of implementing the international energy agenda, is the development of new models designed to turn the multilateral energy dialogue into the driving force of global development on the basis of balancing the interests of all of its participants, responsible and careful attitude towards natural resources, the environment, taking into account the significant public demand oriented at fair distribution of the benefits from energy sources and their use.
The most important challenge today is ensuring comprehensive and indivisible energy security covering both the energy production sector and energy transportation as well as the final consumption. It is precisely this interdisciplinary approach, that is at the heart of Turkmenistan’s energy policy, defines the substance and the direction of our country’s proposals and practical actions in this field.
The initiatives put forward by Turkmenistan to ensure the security and safety of energy supplies in the world markets, are being strongly recognized by the world community and documented by the resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly initiated by Turkmenistan and adopted in 2008 and 2013 with co-sponsorship of dozens of states. In the light of the above, Turkmenistan in the course of its 2017 Conference Chairmanship is determined to pay particular attention to the following priority areas of international energy-related activities.
1.
Currently, the development of an international energy strategy is based on the principles of multi-variant energy flows, the widening of their geographyand that of increasing the number of countries interested in participating in international energy processes. This approach includes objective trends in the geo-economy, when the diversification, availability of alternative sources of energy and energy supply routes found the basis of global energy security, sustainability of the entire system of world economic relations, serve as a guarantee against one-sidedness and structural deformations. Turkmenistan believes that this is the very core of sustainable energy.
2.
Turkmenistan attaches particular importance to the energy efficiency and energy saving issues and believes that their discussion today should become a notable and organic part of the international energy dialogue. In this context, the objective requirement of the day should be the use of innovative technologies and governance methods when creating energy production and transit infrastructure. Furthermore, combining the objective economic interests, realities of international partnership with the necessity of a careful attitude towards natural resources and their efficient use is seen as a common task for all Energy Charter member states. Turkmenistan is ready for further expansion and intensifying cooperation with states and international structures with the aim of minimising environmental risks during the production of energy resources, introduction of effective protection technologies in the production cycle, application of modern governance solutions.
3.
Careful and forward-looking attitude towards the ecology, the preservation of the natural environment is another key component of the modern energy cycle. That is why the issues of renewable energy sources use are among the priority areas of international energy activities. Relevant international documents aimed at the stage-by-stage transformation towards the renewable energy sources in the main areas of human life, adoption of high standards of environmental safety at the practical level. In this context, Turkmenistan intends to call on the member states within the framework of the Energy Charter Conference in 2017 to consider a wide set of issues related to the priority nature of the development of high-technology sectors of the economy, the creation of conditions for the development of “alternative green energy” as an important element of the economic infrastructure operation.
4.
The safety and security of international energy flows, guarantees of operation of international energy transportation systems, legal protection of energy supply routes today have become the issues of particular relevance . The necessity of working out generally acceptable universal approaches to this problem, clearer and unchanging principles of interrelations between suppliers, transit countries and consumers of energy resources becomes increasingly obvious. When forming its views on this subject, Turkmenistan draws on the firm belief that international energy transit should be carried out on an equal, fair basis, and economically and commercially feasible. In this respect, Turkmenistan believes it is necessary to intensify the efforts on preparing a multilateral Framework agreement on energy transit.
5.
The effective development of international cooperation in the field of energy greatly depends on the level and degree of intensity of investment flows . In the course of its Chairmanship in the Conference, Turkmenistan will pay particular attention to the issues of effective allocation of finance resources in energy sector, raising the efficiency of investment use, secure degree of its protection. At that, in order to study the international experience and application of world best practices in the field of investment, it is envisaged to hold special meetings and forums within the framework of the Energy Charter and structures working under its auspices.
6.
The issues proposed to address during Turkmenistan’s Chairmanship in the Energy Charter Conference in 2017 are a set of the most important and relevant topics and questions linked to the further development of international cooperation on sustainable energy issues.
On this basis, Turkmenistan will take all the necessary measures and actions on summarising the conclusions and recommendations of states, international structures, business sector representatives and the expert community in order to reflect them comprehensively in the outcome document of the 28th Meeting of the Energy Charter Conference.
Turkmenistan considers the implementation of the priorities listed above in close cooperation with the Member States of the Energy Charter, its Secretariat and the Secretary General.
