The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), through its Energy Unit of the Natural Resources Division, played an active role in the XI Energy Week, held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. At this regional forum, ECLAC reaffirmed its commitment to a just energy transition that places energy poverty at the centre of public policies and strategies.

One of the key highlights of the event was the policy dialogue organized by ECLAC in collaboration with the Latin American and Caribbean Energy Organization (OLACDE), entitled “Energy for a Just Transition: Challenges and Responses to Energy Poverty.” The session aimed to bring energy poverty to the forefront of the regional agenda, facilitate the exchange of methodological advances and public policy experiences among countries, and contribute to preparations for the First Regional Dialogue on Energy Poverty, to be held on 30 November and 1 December 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The regional study on energy poverty will be officially presented on that occasion.

The panel featured contributions from prominent regional authorities, including Guatemala’s Minister of Energy and Mines; Costa Rica’s Vice Minister of Energy; Uruguay’s National Director of Energy; the President of Brazil’s Energy Research Office (Empresa de Pesquisa Energética, EPE); and an academic representative of Chile’s Energy Poverty Network (RedPE).

ECLAC also participated as an observer in the opening session of the 56th Meeting of Ministers of Energy, as well as in various technical and policy dialogue forums. These included the panel “Energy Planning: Building Tomorrow’s Energy Transition Today” and the Fifth Meeting of the Regional Council for Energy Planning, convened as part of the event.

During the forum, the ECLAC delegation held bilateral working meetings with ministers and senior government officials from countries across the region, including Guatemala, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Paraguay and Panama, among others. These meetings provided an opportunity to review progress on technical cooperation and multilateral exchange initiatives focused on resilient energy planning, energy policy, governance, institutional capacity-building and the measurement of energy poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean.