ECLAC participated in the Second Regional Energy Integration Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, organized by CIER in Panama on June 26-27, 2024. The event focused on strategies for energy integration and presented advancements in the electric transition towards 2050. ECLAC's involvement included presentations and working groups with representatives from various countries and international organizations, promoting collaboration for a more sustainable and resilient energy future.

During the Second Conference on Regional Energy Integration in Latin America and the Caribbean, organized by the Regional Energy Integration Commission (CIER) in Panama, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) participated actively, highlighting the important role of international organizations in regional integration and how to approach this integration from a strategic perspective of changing the development model, in order to move towards a more productive, inclusive and sustainable energy future.

Rayén Quiroga, head of the Water and Energy Unit of the Natural Resources Division, and Ignacio Ñancupil, of the same Unit, actively participated in various presentations, discussions and round tables with representatives from countries in the region such as Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Paraguay, Guatemala, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Colombia and Argentina, among others. The meeting brought together more than 60 people, including government authorities, planners and operators of the electricity systems of each country, international agencies and organizations such as the Organization of American States (OAS), the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), among other institutions.

At this event, ECLAC presented “The role of ECLAC in the energy transition through integrated and interconnected energy planning, a transforming vector of the development model of Latin America and the Caribbean” where it highlighted the opportunities that integration offers for the energy transition and its strategic capacity to guarantee energy security and complementary in the region. She also presented the preliminary results of ECLAC’s electricity transition outlook to 2050, highlighting the advantages of a more integrated and efficient electricity grid. The presentation concluded by emphasizing the role of ECLAC through three lines of action that promote the development of integrated and interconnected energy planning to accelerate the energy transition: Knowledge Generation, Technical Assistance and Training, and Policy Dialogues.

ECLAC also participated in the moderated discussion on the role of international organizations and extra-regional experiences, which sought to reflect on the future of integration in the region. It was stated that ECLAC sees the future of the integration in the region as a crucial opportunity to strengthen sustainable and resilient development in Latin America. And that moving towards greater energy integration will make it possible to diversify energy sources, optimize both fiscal and private financial resources and improve energy security, reducing vulnerability to external shocks.

ECLAC also participated in various working groups that took place on both days of the event. These working groups revealed key conclusions to advance energy integration in Latin America and the Caribbean, such as the need to generate trust and long-term agreements, greater awareness of the benefits of integration and the need to maintain an active discussion among all the actors involved, such as international organizations, government authorities and technical entities, international banks and the private sector, among others.

ECLAC’s participation in the conference organized by CIER emphasizes the importance of joint energy planning and international collaboration to face the energy challenges of the future. This meeting generated an environment of cooperation between different actors to build a more resilient and equitable energy system for the region.