USAID Sponsors Seminar on Developing Regional
Energy Markets
March 21, 2006
New Delhi – A two-day seminar on “Developing Energy
Markets” funded by the U.S Agency for International
Development’s South Asia Regional Initiative for
Energy (SARI/E) began at the Hyatt Regency hotel
here today. Several representatives from South Asian
and African countries as well as from the U.S. are
participating in the seminar.
Welcoming the delegates at the seminar, Mr. Robert
Blake, Charge d’ Affaires, U.S. Embassy, said: “This
gathering is a valuable opportunity to bring
together representatives from the region to openly
discuss trade and investment opportunities in
energy. Increased competition and improved market
structures will spur investments and trade in energy
in South Asia. The United States stands ready to
support efforts to boost energy markets, increase
investment and strengthen trade linkages within
South Asia.”
This event continues the efforts of USAID’s
SARI/Energy program to promote competitive
commercial practices and market structures in South
Asian countries and to foster public private
partnerships for regional trade and investment. The
energy security of India and South Asia relies on
the in-flow of such investment for the development
of the energy sector.
Transparent and competitive commercial practices
level the playing field for investors and will help
attract the energy sector development needed to meet
energy security needs. Seminar participants are to
discuss developments in energy markets around the
world, case studies on market structures, which
enable infrastructure development and cross-border
trade and national approaches to energy security
within South Asia.
The USAID SARI/Energy effort works to leverage
cross-border trade and investment opportunities to
improve energy security in South Asia and ensure
continued economic growth. The initiative will
promote energy market structures to bolster national
energy security. SARI/Energy aims to provide tools
and training and organize peer-to-peer exchanges and
executive seminars to introduce global best
practices for market structures necessary for
cross-border trade and investment opportunities in
the South Asia region.
The Energy Markets Initiative was launched in
Dhaka, Bangladesh in 2005 to address key obstacles
to the formation of energy markets and to support
energy trade and investment in South Asia.
SARI/Energy will also extend support to the SAARC
Energy Center and other South Asia energy security
initiatives.
USAID’s SARI/Energy operates in eight countries -
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives,
Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Begun in 2000, the
program focuses on approaches to meet South Asia’s
energy security needs through increased trade,
investment and access to clean energy.
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