(September 26, 2024) Within the framework of the 79th United Nations General Assembly in New York, representatives of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), UN Energy and the Central American Integration System (SICA) presented the Regional Energy Pacts in the side event “Supporting the Advancement of SDG7 in Central America and the Dominican Republic”. The five approved Energy Pacts include:
- Universal access to electricity.
- Reduction in the use of firewood.
- Promotion of renewable energies.
- Support for non-conventional renewable energies.
- Improvement of energy efficiency through Central American Technical Regulations.
This initiative was promoted by the Subregional Headquarters in Mexico of ECLAC through its Energy and Natural Resources Unit, with the objective of supporting compliance with SDG7 and reinforcing the actions of the Sustainable Energy Strategy 2030 of the SICA countries.
ECLAC, in coordination with the General Secretariat of SICA and its Technical Group for Energy Planning (GTPE), led the process that culminated in the approval of the pacts at the XVII Ordinary Meeting of the Council of Energy Ministers of SICA, held on 20 June in Tegucigalpa.
The Director General of SE4All and co-president of UN Energy, Damilola Ogunbiyi, highlighted that the agreement reached by the SICA countries is a testimony of regional cooperation and action towards a sustainable and resilient future.
“I congratulate SICA and the Pro Tempore Presidency of Honduras for developing five new Energy Pacts, committing to significant advances in universal access to electricity and expanding renewable energy, reflecting the region’s strong dedication to SDG7,” said Ogunbiyi .
In a message sent from Mexico, the Officer in Charge of the ECLAC Subregional Headquarters, Jorge Mario Martínez Piva, assured that the commitments agreed upon by the SICA member countries through the Energy Pacts reflect their effort to achieve the goals of universalizing access to modern energy, expand the participation of renewable energy in their energy matrices and increase energy efficiency.
“ECLAC will continue to support regional energy integration that promotes greater access to electricity, technologies and fuels for clean cooking and a greater participation of renewable resources in energy generation and greater energy efficiency,” he stated.
Debora Ley, Head of the Energy and Natural Resources Unit of ECLAC in Mexico, highlighted the impact of the pacts: “The actions proposed in the SICA Regional Energy Pacts, based on the 2030 Sustainable Energy Strategy of the SICA countries that was coordinated by ECLAC, will contribute to a just energy transition that privileges greater energy generation through renewable resources, access to modern, reliable and affordable energy for all and the improvement of energy efficiency in all energy consumption sectors.
From the General Secretariat of SICA, Ingrid Figueroa expressed her recognition of the regional collaboration efforts, highlighting that “the pacts represent a milestone on the path towards energy integration and sustainable development in Central America and the Dominican Republic.”
Also participating in the event were Bahareh Seyedi, Senior Sustainable Development Officer of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the United Nations; Stephanie Tatiana Orellana, Coordinator of the Energy Coordination Unit of the General Secretariat of SICA; Tomás Antonio Rodríguez, Undersecretary of State in the Office of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency of the Ministry of Energy (SEN) of Honduras, and Carlos Cordero, Director of the Secretariat of Sectoral Planning for Environment and Energy (SEPLASA of the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MINAE) of Costa Rica.
With the approval of these Regional Energy Pacts, the commitment of the SICA and ECLAC countries to contribute to the goals of SDG 7 and promote a sustainable energy agenda in the region is reaffirmed.
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